Home features that appeal to many first-time buyers

Today, many buyers are opening the door to their first new home. Who are these first-time homebuyers, and what do they want?

They're young, optimistic and knowledgeable. They've done their research, and they're looking for the best value in a new home. They come in with folders. They want energy-efficient, maintenance-free homes with small, usable outdoor space. They don't want to spend their weekends doing yard work. Many look for an open concept two-story design, which is less expensive to build than a ranch home. Some look to the future and want to be in a good school district.

Area builders know what first-time buyers want, and they offer houses and townhouses to fit their lifestyle. Here's a look at what's out there for this group of buyers.

At Stafford Place in Warrenville, Airhart Construction presents its Cottage homes. Buyers here have their own smaller single-family house, but it's easier for them because the lawn care and snow removal are provided, said Christy Whelan, director of sales. "They have no kids yet; they're working in the city; and they love it."

These Cottage-style houses start at $370,000 and buyers can customize them, which is often exciting because they like to make some change to fit their specific needs, she said. Homes feature two to three bedrooms, 2½ baths and a two-car garage. Typically, first-time buyers select a two-story home with three bedrooms, 2½ baths and a flexible lower level with space they'll use for an office or workout room. The option for a private outdoor roof terrace is a popular feature.

A nice kitchen with granite or quartz countertops and higher-end appliances are important to these buyers, Whelan said. Many of them cook, so double ovens bring thoughts of having all the relatives over for dinner in the future. They appreciate larger kitchens with islands with a lot of seating.

Some buyers still want the separate soaking tub in the master bath and will opt for the old- fashioned, free-standing tub. Otherwise, an extra large shower with a bench and no door is popular. They will generally opt for as much wood flooring as their budget will allow.

"Buyers like the urban locations close to the train because a lot of our buyers work in the city," Whelan said. They like walking to town and being close to the grocery store and other amenities.

"First-time buyers want to be near their roots and families," Whelan said. "They may have moved into the city when they left home, but they gravitate back when they are ready to settle down and have a family of their own. They have saved up enough for a down payment and have established careers."

The Park Series townhouse designs at West Point Gardens are especially appealing to first-time homebuyers, said Pat Curran, president of West Point Builders.

Detached townhouses range in price from $191,990 to $220,990 for a two bedroom and 1½ bath unit to a three-bedroom, 2½ bath floor plan with a full basement and two-car garage.

These townhouses offer the privacy of a single-family home with the convenience of maintenance-free living, which first-time buyers like because they want to be with their friends or go out of town on the weekends, Curran said. "This is an extra benefit of these homes."

Homes feature 9-foot-high ceilings on the main level and a roomy country kitchen. Kitchen areas are designed differently to appeal to different tastes, such as plans with peninsula or a U-shaped eat-in kitchen area. All plans have a functional design with a lot of work space.

The Dearborn plan features three bedrooms while the Clark has two bedrooms plus a loft, which people like, Curran said. And some buyers are finishing some of the basement for an extra family area on the lower level. He also said he sees buyers more willing to choose smaller homes with some upgrades because they have reasonable expectations, and large homes are not important to younger buyers today.

"I think the big appeal is they're single-family detached homes in a very nice neighborhood with a lot of open space. Meier Park is right in the middle of the community. It's a great place for walking, and our buyers enjoy having a full basement and two-car garage," he said.

This spring, M/I Homes introduced a new streamlined, value-based homebuying process with the debut of its Smart Series homes at two communities in the Southwest suburbs: Lakewood Springs, a community of 55 single-family homes in Plano; and Legacy Pointe in Joliet, a community of 155 single-family homes.

The Smart Series homes create a simplified buying experience by offering a selection of floor plans with available interior and exterior finishes bundled into preselected collections, as well as access to lending options and programs through M/I Financial, a subsidiary of M/I Homes, said Cheryl Bonk, vice president of sales for the Chicago market.

This new sales approach will resonate with first-time buyers and budget-driven homeowners, she said. The result is an easy, menu-based sales model and a straightforward series of home designs that simplify the financial end of a home purchase, while also ensuring buyers can get the latest features and on-trend finishes they want in a new home.

M/I Homes offers six floor plans with 1,457 to 2,306 square feet, two to four bedrooms, 1½ to 2½ baths, attached two-car garages and basements with crawl spaces. These plans are base priced from $189,990 to $213,990 at Lakewood Springs and $225,990 to $247,990 at Legacy Pointe.

"It's really as easy as buyers looking at a menu and selecting from A, B or C," Bonk said.

In fact, it's so straightforward that buyers don't even meet with a selections coordinator at the Smart Series communities. They simply go through and make their selections from the collections, find out their total, and then sit down with M/I Financial to figure out their lending options and monthly payment. They can shave hours off the traditional experience of buying a new-construction home.

"Much of the appeal of the Smart Series process is that it is so uncomplicated," said Bonk. "There are many buyers out there, particularly first-time buyers or those who've never purchased new-construction before, who are overwhelmed or intimidated by the usual design center experience. They love the ease of this approach and the fact that a design pro has already handled the details that give a home a cohesive, polished look."