It's got a cement floor and metal shelves — not exactly the height of luxury, and probably not the first room on your home tour.

But the lowly garage is high on the wish list for many home buyers.

“Home buyers want enough space to stretch out in,” says Richard Roll, president of American Homeowners Association. “A garage adds storage space, a work area and a potential living area.”

What makes a garage such a big deal? First of all, it's not just a place to park the car. You need the garage for bikes, strollers, play and gardening equipment, tools and overflow storage for valuable junk destined for a garage sale.

Home construction types vary across the country. In places where slab-on-ground construction is more common, there is no basement and a garage is almost essential.

If you have a basement, attic and a garage, you're in heaven. You can finish the basement as a rec room or den, and store your stuff in the garage or attic.

Some homeowners even convert the garage to living space, creating a spare bedroom or den after remodeling and insulating the space and replacing the garage door opening with a solid wall.

Another practical benefit of a garage is security. Pull into the driveway, push the automatic door opener, and drive into your home without ever leaving the security of your car. At night, that's a lot safer than walking from the curb to the front door and fumbling with your keys.

For information on any aspect of buying or selling a home, go to http://www.ahahome.com, the web site for American Homeowners Association.