For most people, buying a home is the single biggest investment of their lives.

Now, as interest rates have dropped and mortgage companies have popped up, buyers are finding a variety of options available to them.

While most buyers are just looking for the best deal in terms of financing, they have very definite ideas of what they want in their dream homes.

“Buyers really want an open floor plan,” said Prudential Georgia Realty Realtor Donna O'Kelly.

Another area that O'Kelly is finding a huge interest in is basements. Many potential buyers are adamant about having a basement to use as a potential gathering area and playroom for their children.

Fayette County also is following the national trend of having large kitchens and bathrooms.

“Families like having an eat-in kitchen and really want to have a large master bathroom,” O'Kelly said.

In the bathroom, buyers want separate showers and tubs to create an almost suite feeling to the surroundings, she added.

One of the biggest features many buyers are looking for is a home situated in a swim and tennis community. By offering recreational amenities, buyers are able to use the facilities without having to pay directly for the construction cost of the swimming pool or tennis courts.

O'Kelly said most buyers also want an acre of land and are looking for a location that is close to either the interstate or other major roads.

A new trend just starting to emerge in the Atlanta region is the concept of “new urbanism” that focuses on pedestrian-friendly communities.

Noted Atlanta architect Stephen Fuller recently addressed the Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia and said some builders in the area are now planning around old trees and putting garages in the backs of homes to create pedestrian-friendly streets.

Fuller said the latest trend is for smaller homes and lots. With the trend toward smaller homes, Fuller said he sees a reemergence of classical and elegant architecture.

As for the interior of homes, Fuller said many customers are asking for entertainment and computer areas.

“They also like one-stop shopping with the designs all working together, even in the interiors,” he added.

O'Kelly also explained that many buyers are still looking for the typical brick, ranch-stle home that they associate with the “American Dream.”

“They really just want a place that they can really call home,” she said.

Correction:

In last month's issue of the Real Estate Review, we mistakenly said Tricia Mahoney is the only broker in the county that owns her own real estate company. The article should have read that Mahoney is the only female broker that owns her own company.

We apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding the error may have caused.

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