More than half of 1,000 buyers recently surveyed\u2014or 56 percent\u2014said they\u2019d be willing to sacrifice square footage in a home for a great outdoor space. The survey was conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Taylor Morrison, a national home builder.<\/p>\n Survey respondents also rated the home\u2019s distance to neighboring homes as the most important exterior feature. Forty-eight percent of millennials and 53 percent of nonmillennials believe the extra buffer is important, even more so than other curb appeal elements like siding, driveway styles, exterior paint<\/a> colors, and roofing finishes. Women wanted outdoor space more than men (62 percent of women surveyed say they prefer less home square footage for a larger yard, compared to 51 percent of men).<\/p>\n \u201cDemand for more elaborate exterior space continues to rise, and blending indoor-outdoor living to address customer preferences is critical to our success,\u201d\u00a0says\u00a0Sheryl Palmer, Taylor Morrison\u2019s CEO. Palmer notes that the findings come at a time when land prices are escalating and local approvals have forced smaller lot sizes.<\/p>\n In response, Taylor Morrison has been ramping up\u00a0its properties: adding\u00a0outdoor living rooms, floor-to-ceiling retractable glass walls that open to the backyard, and matching tile flooring that extends from the home\u2019s interior<\/a> to exterior for a seamless flow to the outdoor space.<\/p>\n Survey respondents were asked what they would spend an extra $10,000 to $15,000 on in their new home. Outdoor living items topped the list, edging out upgraded cabinets and kitchen islands.<\/p>\n \u201cOutdoor living is no longer an afterthought to a home\u2019s construction,\u201d\u00a0says\u00a0Charlie Enochs, Taylor Morrison area president for the central region.<\/p>\n Source: 2017 Taylor Morrison Consumer Survey<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Realtors.org <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/realtormag.realtor.org\/sites\/realtormag.realtor.org\/files\/rmo_files\/images\/2017_aug\/aug17_DN_outdoor.jpg\")
A property that offers<\/a> a great outdoor space is taking a higher priority among home buyers. In fact, home shoppers recently surveyed said they would be willing to sacrifice some space from a larger house in order to get a bigger yard.<\/p>\n