The recent South EastBuilding Conference (SEBC) featured relevant lectures for the thousands of attendees. For example, Leslie McCarthy, Builders Design, traveled from Atlanta to the conference in Orlando to explain “All the Trends to Sell New Homes.” Builders Design is an award-Winning Interior Design Firm specializing in Model Home and Multi-Family Interiors.

The speaker validated that marketing and merchandising play a vital role in moving real estate. Her lecture conveyed visuals on how to move people from dreaming to purchasing a new home and reminded attendees that buying a home is a retail experience.  Some important takeaways:

• Color triggers an emotional connection in the home and the correct colors show the prospective homebuyer that the builder “gets them.”
• Small things convey quality. For example,  solid door handles and hand rails leave an impression of quality.
• Merchandised homes can and should create memory points, eg, pet showers in laundry room. Homebuyers may not require the upgrade, but will remember which builder had the memory point.

Homebuilders must learn and understand that trends and colors differ by generation. The generations are defined as:

• Millenials                                                               21-39
• GenX                                                                     40-49
• Zoomers (new name for Boomers)                    50-70
• Prime Timers                                                        71+

A few characteristics and trends pointed out for each generation include:

• Millenials—trailblazers, eclectic edge, urban. Want spaces that flex with frequent lifestyle changes. Want a connected home. Local shoppers, want nearby parks, farmers markets. Check phone 43X/day. Want innovate ways to store bikes. Bikers!
• GenX—family focus, practical. Kitchen is the heart of the home. Value-oriented. Want dual workspaces with charging stations. Value energy efficiency—want to see proof that up-front cost pays off over time. Storage is key. Make laundry room multi-tasking spaces. Likes the bonus room—upstairs living room—incorporate analog play. Wants backyard deck.
• Zoomers—comfort luxe, 24/7 lifestyle, first floor master suite, luxury amenities, room for visiting family, Smaller yards.  Zoomers control 75 percent of America’s wealth. 8 million more people will turn 65 over next 10 years than in the last 10 years. Likes the secondary en-suite bedroom for 18+ and parents.
• Prime-Timers—Easy Living, Simply Serene, Health and Wellness, Safe, Single Story, Low Maintenance, ergonomic enhancements, will have home robotics in near future.

A few additional trends discussed were:

Colors: Whites, grays, greiges. Soft, muted, comfortable. Use pops of color, like dill green and teal. Corals are out, Orange-red is in.

Spaces: Dining rooms are coming back. Kitchens are using more open shelving. Stage pantry for healthy lifestyle—Baskets, shelves. Master Bedrooms are also known as the  Last Private space. UsebBuilt-in flat screen, seating areas.

Number One Take-Away: return on emotion always leads to return on investment. Plan now to attend the Southeast Building Conference in 2017  on July 27-28.