I.Smart Homes Are the Way of the Future
Use your fingers and toes to count how many appliances, lights, thermostats, electronics, and other mechanical devices are in your house. If you're not sure then you will want to read this section. Building a home with smart features can solve the following problems.
Do you hate the power company's high energy bill, and that it keeps getting more expensive?
Would you like to be able to control every mechanism from your smartphone without having to walk up and down stairs or into different rooms?
Does your anxiety spike when you leave the house and feel you might not have locked the door or turned off that appliance?
Maybe you have locked your keys in the house and can't get in without waiting for your husband or wife to bring their spare key.
All these situations are solved by building a new home with smart technology.
2023 was filled with record-breaking days of heat, and that helped energy bills skyrocket.
A smart thermostat can help alleviate the high energy bills because it will turn on and off based on the temperature. This way you can reduce energy costs while maintaining a comfortable temperature.
Lights can also be automated. Smart lighting systems allow you to adjust the brightness of your lights and set timers for when they should turn on and off.
Your electronics can also run using smart technology. You control the entire house, meaning you can save energy by automatically turning off TVs and computers.
But, these smart devices don't just save money on energy bills.
Building a home with smart-home features provides the utmost convenience.
Using a smartphone you can start and stop your washing machine and dryer, see who's at your door through your phone, and lock doors.
You can't beat the peace of mind when you own a smart home.
We all fear robberies if we leave the door unlocked. For instance, let's say you go on vacation and realize you didn't lock your front door.
Through your smartphone, you can ensure all the doors in your home are closed and locked.
Smart homes are the way of the future, but even if you're not tech-savvy, you will still benefit from the energy savings.
And speaking of energy savings, let's talk about eco-friendly building materials.
II.Eco-Friendly Building Materials Require Less Maintenance and Keep Bills Lower
It's a recurring theme in this article. We all hate wasting money, and it's like the power companies keep charging more, and more, and more.
Luckily, eco-friendly home construction is here to help you save money long-term.
An eco-friendly home also increases your property value and lessens the time spent maintaining your property.
Here's a list of eco-friendly construction benefits:
Lower Water Bills: Low-flow faucets and showerheads, efficient irrigation systems, dual flush toilets, and managing rainwater will result in lower water bills.
Lower Energy Bills: Efficient heating and cooling through energy STAR rate windows and doors will reduce energy costs. As mentioned earlier, having smart-home features installed will also reduce energy costs.
Healthier Living Environment: Eco-friendly home construction uses low Volatile organic compounds (VOC). This means the paint, adhesives, sealants, and finishes won't smell and cause respiratory illness.
Increased Property Value: The National Association of Realtors (NAR) surveyed a group of homebuyers and found that 68% wanted an eco-friendly home; 46% would pay up to $10,000 more for a home with green features due to the future savings. Finally, 37% claimed they would pay more than $10,000 for a home with green, energy-efficient features.
Less Maintenance: An eco-friendly home requires less maintenance because its materials are more durable and last longer. For example, builders can use wood that's Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, recycled building materials, and linoleum instead of vinyl.
Building custom homes with environmentally friendly features and materials isn't just good for reducing your carbon footprint, but good for your wallet.
It takes more than eco-friendly materials to build a fully efficient home, which leads us to our next trend, efficient kitchens.
III.The Open Kitchen Concept Is Back In 2024
Think about the past homes you've lived in. Now, imagine you're in the kitchen cooking.
Was there enough counter space? Where did you keep the smaller appliances like the toaster, coffee maker, microwave, or mixer?
Was there any space to keep appliances hidden?
Did the kitchen have space to hang pots, keep ladles, and other large cooking items?
The efficient kitchen is becoming a big trend in 2024, and more than ever, homebuyers are looking for home builders who can design and construct a kitchen with the following features:
High-Tech Appliances: Your appliances can be smart too. For example, a smart refrigerator's contents can be monitored from your smartphone, eliminating the need to go home and recheck your grocery list has everything on it. Smart refrigerators and ovens can even talk to one another. You can choose a recipe through the refrigerator and the oven will automatically pre-heat to the right temperature.
Design: The kitchen design is important. According to a 2024 kitchen trends study
64 percent of homebuyers want a home built with an open kitchen. They don't want a wall separating the kitchen from the living space, which improves functionality and enhances the ability to entertain guests.
Concrete Countertops and Space: According to the 2024 kitchen trends study, more than 42% of home buyers want kitchens with islands 7 feet or longer. Concrete countertops are also becoming trendy thanks to their longevity, design flexibility, and sustainability.
Hidden Appliances: Hidden appliances are becoming very popular in 2024. According to Forbes Home, this is a continuing kitchen trend from 2023. A custom home builder can keep bulky appliances out of sight by adding panels that complement the cabinets. Smaller appliances can also be hidden providing a visually seamless and clutter-free kitchen.
Duel-fuel Ranges: Luxury appliances are all the rage in 2024, and people love the idea of a powerful gas cooktop with an efficient electric oven. A duel-fuel range helps you cook and bake. The electric oven's dry heat will help you receive crispy results when roasting vegetables, and using the gas cooktop will ensure you sear the perfect piece of steak.
The efficient kitchen is a big trend in 2024 because the high-tech appliances will help you live more efficiently, and the open concept won't isolate you from the family or guests while you cook.
Entertaining guests is what makes the next home-building trend important. Keep reading to learn about outdoor living spaces.
IV.Outdoor Living Spaces Increase Your Home's Usable Space
If you want to build a new home in 2024 and love the outdoors, this section is for you.
Do you want your home built that connects you with nature, gives you space to entertain guests, and will increase property value?
Let's list some of the reasons outdoor living spaces are trending in 2024:
Outdoor Lighting: 2024 is becoming the year for outdoor lighting. There are new, more efficient LED lights that don't burn out quickly, light up your home more brightly, and can be focused on specific parts of the home vs. lighting a wide area. You can even adjust the ambient lighting to provide the most relaxing atmosphere while you're outside.
Outdoor Fireplaces: Fireplaces, firepits, and burners are all the rage now. They give your home a cozy outdoor seating area, whether on a deck, covered patio, or the backyard. Home builders can even integrate custom fireplaces and pits that add elegance and increase property value.
Lounging and Lounging Areas: Blending indoor and outdoor living is becoming popular. In 2024, we're seeing a rise in homebuyers who want a home built with outdoor kitchens, lounges, and entertainment amenities. Who wouldn't want to watch TV outdoors on a custom patio with a fire?
Pickleball Courts: No list of home-building trends in 2024 would be complete without the Pickleball Court. Pickleball has exploded in the United States, and surveys show homeowners can't wait to install one in their yards.
The outdoor living trend in 2024 goes deeper than expanding your living space.
In 2024, it's becoming popular to give off the impression of a large living space in a small home. That leads us to our next trend in 2024, single-story homes.
V.Single-Story Homes Are on the Rise in 2024
With the housing market becoming increasingly expensive, and inflation not slowing down anytime soon, single-story home building has become trendy in 2024.
The single-story home became popular in the 1950s and as mentioned, regained its popularity recently.
Here are some of the benefits that have made single-story homes trendy:
Perfect for Every Stage of Your Life: If you're a young homebuyer who wants to build a home or a grandparent who's downsizing, the single-story home doesn't have a staircase, making it easier to navigate for children and the elderly. For the average family, a single-story home makes watching children easier and can be expanded with the size of the family.
Easier to Maintain: Single-story homes are easier to maintain inside and out. There's less space to clean and no staircases to navigate with cleaning supplies. Second, you can easily clean and maintain the outside of the house with a small ladder. This makes painting, holiday decorating, and window cleaning a breeze.
Flexible Designs: Ask your local homebuilder what options are available. A single-story home can have vaulted ceilings, open floor plans, dramatic windows, and skylights. Plus, single-story homes can be designed so additions are easily added later.
Indoor Outdoor Living: Many of these trends blend, and a single-story home can easily appear larger with custom-built outdoor living spaces. A home builder can add a sunroom, large deck, fire pit, or patio to your plan.
Energy Savings: A one-story house is less expensive to build and easier to heat and cool. An open floor plan also helps with heating and cooling because fewer walls allow air to flow more naturally.
At Birchwood Homes, single-story homes have become the biggest trend in 2024. Single-story homes are the rage because you can build them more cheaply with many of the same features a two-story home has, and easily expand them. You get more space in the future at a lower price now.
V.Conclusion
2024 is certainly a great year for new home-building trends. We are taking steps toward the future with smart home technology, eco-friendly building materials, and pickleball courts. But, we're seeing the rise of trends that were thought gone. Multiple generations are living together again in single-story homes and open floorplans are back in style.
