Survey says: Bigger, defined and not urban
Del Webb released a survey that showed Baby Boomers and Gen Xers want their next house to be as big or bigger than their current home, cutting against the notion of downsizing as a major incentive for moving. The survey noted that of the 57 percent of the respondents who plan to move, 65 percent of them want their next house to be the same size (43 percent) or larger (22 percent).
Almost three-fourths of the respondents said they would look for a single-family home with three or more bedrooms (63 percent). Almost one-quarter of the 50-year-olds surveyed said their next home must accommodate aging parents.
The survey also nixed the idea that those surveyed would seek urban locations; 87 percent, in fact, want a suburban or rural setting for their next move. Sixty percent noted they wanted a “quiet, tranquil place where they can slow down and get some peace.”
The open floor plan may also be losing some popularity as 34 percent said they preferred defined space and 60 percent of the Gen Xers surveyed and 48 percent of Baby Boomers surveyed want a dedicated dining room in their next home.
The survey was conducted with 2,003 men and women and was conducted by MKM Partners Quantitative Survey Group on Behalf of PulteGroup.
Residential community proposed for Dawson County
A 304-acre, 288 single-family home residential development is being proposed in Dawson County near the intersection of Dawson Forest Road and Georgia Highway 9.
More than 78 percent of the property would remain as open space, according to plans filed with Dawson County. Lots would be a minimum of 5,500 square feet. The property is currently owned by the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority.
Chamblee development proposed
A new 10-unit townhome development is being proposed in Chamblee.
New City Projects LLC wants to develop the project on less than an acre at 3720 Longview Drive, a site now occupied by a two-story office building. The homes would be an average of 2,370 square feet each with two to four bedrooms on three floors. Most would have a rooftop terrace, and all would have enclosed parking for two cars.
Good news for housing market
With 2.8 million Atlantans employed — an all-time high — the housing market is looking up. A survey done by Metrostudy showed resale property inventory went up to 2.4 months, a slight increase but still not enough. That’s good news for new home builders, especially those offering homes below $300,000.
According to the survey, the median price was up nearly 13 percent for 2018 over 2017, and Eugene James, senior director of the Central Region for Metrostudy, says that growth is “unsustainable. He believes the market will level off and go down four to six percent in 2020.
He also noted that the traditionally desirable Northside is experiencing a downturn in housing starts (15.6 percent), while the Southside is booming. He called the Southside’s building start increase of 13.8 percent “huge.”