What's In, What's Out: Realtors name trends in housing for 2007
BETH W. ORENSTEIN, The Morning Call

For 2007, Lehigh Valley real estate agents and homebuilders predict what will be hot -- and what not -- with homeowners.

What's in:

Sustainable design. Sustainable design focuses on energy conservation, indoor air quality and resource conservation. A good example is the Eastonian condominiums in downtown Easton, says Clay Mitman, broker/owner of Prudential Paul Ford Realtors in Easton.

"The building is certified as a "green building,"' he says. "The air in each condo is completely exchanged every few hours. All the finishes and paints for the floors and walls are non-toxic. The building's heating and cooling system is more energy efficient than normal residential units." Buyers are becoming more environmentally sensitive and are demanding their homebuilders be, too, he says.

Mother command centers. A lot of new homes have a small desk with a computer and Internet connection in the kitchen that Mom uses as her workspace. From there she can overlook the kids' homework, organize her recipes, pay bills, etc. says Creighton Faust Jr. of ReMax Marketplace in Coopersburg.

Stainless steel appliances. While stainless steel has made some "out" lists, Faust says, "I'm still seeing a lot of them." In fact, he says, "I hear Oprah did a show recently about staging your home, and it involved replacing the kitchen appliances with stainless steel. If Oprah is promoting it, it's got to be still in, right?"

Quiet and high-end appliances also are "in," says Tony Caciolo of Monogram Custom Homes in Coopersburg, especially dishwashers and stoves.

Granite countertops. Indeed, Mitman says, "many buyers are going beyond granite, and looking to soapstone or other materials."

Upscale garages. The garage is no longer an after-thought or dumping ground, says Mark Nash, a residential real estate author, broker, columnist and writer based in Chicago. "Today's garage owners want them decked out with cabinet and storage systems, mini- refrigerators, insulation, heating and air conditioning and durable but residential-looking flooring."

Three-plus bays. Not only are garages more like finished rooms but they're also larger, Mitman says. Seems the more bays the better.

Unusual decor found online. "The Internet has continued to give people access to unlimited choices and prices, so more and more customers are finding off-the-wall, out- of-the-ordinary items for their homes using the Web," Caciolo says. He's talking about antique light fixtures, unique vanities and unusual bowls for sinks, etc. He even has one customer who is using a church altar for a kitchen island.

Outdoor living spaces. Elaborate outdoor kitchens with refrigerators, multiple gas grills, smokers, fireplaces, etc., are "in," Caciolo says.

Second floor laundry rooms. "My buyers want their washer and dryers where their bedrooms are," says Jill Fuhrer of Prudential Patt, White Real Estate in Palmer.

Larger lots. Anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 acre lots or more are preferred, says Deena Olivieri-Fisher of RE/MAX Unlimited Real Estate in Whitehall.

Four-bedroom, three-bath houses. That's the minimum, Olivieri- Fisher says. Also all the bedrooms have to be large enough to accommodate a queen-size bed, Nash says.

Pedestal sinks in powder rooms. Elaborate bowls are a strong trend, the agents agree.

Rejuvenation rooms. Rejuvenation rooms are a one-stop space for exercising, mediation, yoga, sauna and fancy steam showers, Nash says. "Showers are going upscale, too. Waterfall fixtures, programmable temperature and water flow are the next trend for showers," he says.

Scott Shultz of ReMax Marketplace in Center Valley, agrees: "People like the feel of being at a posh and expensive resort when they're just standing in their own bathroom."

Mitman adds: The luxurious shower is in; however, the giant Jacuzzi is out.

Heated patios, walkways and driveways. "Northern baby boomers are tired of shoveling and are looking for ways to decrease winter maintenance, plus many have discovered how also heating the patio can add an extra couple of weeks of enjoyment in spring and fall," Nash says.

Stucco and stone facades. Particularly popular are European contemporary designs, says Frank Alexander of Anthony Construction & Anthony Builders in Hellertown.

What's out:

Anything brass, Caciolo says.

Full-price offers. "I would say that over full price offers are definitely out," says Dan Falco, manager of the Prudential Patt, White Real Estate office in Hellertown.

"The reality is that in most cases, buyers are now able to spend more time comparison shopping due to the increase in available housing. There is a little less anxiety in finding the right home in today's market versus a couple of years ago."

Fixer-uppers. "Unless you are an investor," Olivieri-Fisher says. "There are so many properties available for sale, the market has a lot of available homes already fixed up," Mitman agrees. "So it makes more sense to finance a completed house in the mortgage where the fixer-upper requires cash out-of-pocket every project."

Laminate countertops. Even Corian is on the decline, Mitman says.

Open houses. Let's hope so, Faust says. "There has been a recent increase of reports about security issues during open houses. With the Internet and the ability to show multiple photos of the houses, open houses aren't as popular now as they were maybe 10 years ago."

And on the way out: Sellers who smoke. "We are seeing less people who smoke in their house," Faust says. "Some homeowners who smoke either go in the garage or outside. This makes it better when it is time to sell. So many people are turned off by a smoky house, but yet it's really hard to get a seller, who does smoke and is putting their house on the market, to stop smoking in their own house."

Traditional advertising. Traditional advertising such as magazine and newspaper ads are becoming less popular, Faust says. "Most buyers are Internet savvy and more and more continue to do their house searching online." Also, he says, most buyers are hooked up with real estate agents who scan the multiple list service for them. "So the need to pay for print ads is dwindling."

Copyright The Morning Call. Reproduced with permission.