If you are thinking about putting up your Steamboat Springs home for sale, you can expect that a goodly number of the buyers who will be considering your property will be female. And increasingly, the decision-makers may be Millennials—part of the group reaching adulthood in the early 21st century. Distinguishing how buyer traits and preferences differ is important for understanding what features are likely to appeal to different groups.
For instance, the propensity for Millennials to use social media is a trait that can impact how they evaluate the Steamboat Springs homes for sale that fit their search criteria. A recent research project by Better Homes & Gardens analyzed the differences between generations of women buyers “from Millennials to Boomers.” They found that more Millennials viewed homeownership as a sign of success than do other generations—so it’s not surprising that they favor a new home that is “attractive enough for social media.” Almost half of recent home-buying Millennials have posted or plan to post photos of their new home (versus 36% of GenXers and only 20% of Boomers). In other words, if you are keen on attracting a Millennial crowd, bear that in mind when preparing for the photographs that appear in your Steamboat Springs listing. For this group, there is a good chance that more glamor will equal more buyers.
Some things seem to never change, though, regardless of group. Even in the Better Homes study, which was specifically designed to reveal the differences in generational preferences, one “dream home” feature topped the chart across all groups. For Millennials, GenXers, and Boomers alike, Number One remains “a state-of-the-art kitchen”—followed by Number Two: “an outdoor pool.”
Differences appear in the third-place choices. Millennials look for “his-and-hers bathrooms.” GenXers went for “a media room.” Boomers preferred “a three-car garage.”
Another finding is one I was delighted to see. Better Homes & Gardens discovered that 86% of buyers had worked with a real estate agent—a pretty strong endorsement on its own. Even stronger: 97% said they would use an agent “next time”—apparently, experience is persuasive for all the groups. Whether you will be putting your own Steamboat Springs home up for sale or looking to buy, I hope you’ll consider me as your agent. Do give me a call!