Media Release
A survey by the Real Estate Buyers Agents Association (REBAA) has revealed the nation’s top 10 property wish list just in time for Christmas.
By collating the answers from Australia’s leading accredited buyer’s agents, the results give a refreshing insight into the needs and wants of Australia’s home buyers.
The top 10 property wish list is:
- Open plan living areas
- Quality kitchen that flows to and outdoor/indoor entertaining space (preferably with a direct view to the backyard)
- Natural light
- Location close to amenities, shops and transport
- Large sized bedrooms
- Properties close to school catchments
- Good floor plan
- Functional back yard
- Renovated properties with quality finishes
- Properties with an outlook/view
REBAA president Rich Harvey said the results showed that the old adage of ‘location, location, location’, while still desired, was becoming less important as home buyers compromised on streets and suburbs in order to find their ideal home.
“We’ve certainly seen a recent period of unprecedented property growth in many of Australia’s major capital city and regional markets and buyers have had to be willing to compromise on many of their ‘must have’s,” he said.
“More than ever home buyers have been prepared to compromise on location and move one or two suburbs out in order to find what they’re looking for.
“Likewise we’re seeing the desire for garages and car parking becoming less important in inner-city areas than they were a few years back but certainly in outer suburbs and in regional areas it’s still a major focus as access to public transport is less available.”
Good quality open plan kitchens still top the list with a new focus on large sized bedrooms moving into the top 10 of wish list criteria.
“The recent boom in home renovation shows has shifted the focus back onto the bedroom and it seems the bigger, the better,” said Mr Harvey.
“Renovated homes with quality finishes are expected to have large open plan living spaces and large bedrooms with small bedrooms listed as the second highest turn-off for home buyers.”
Not surprisingly, proximity to busy roads, railway lines and flight paths were the biggest deterrent for home buyers with bad neighbours listing higher than structural defects on the list of no no’s.
“Ugly streets, proximity to public housing, derelict houses with unkempt or uncared for gardens and those streets that give the sense they’re unsafe, do not bode well for vendors,” said Mr Harvey.
“Our research has shown that first impressions still count, and the more attractive you can present your home from the outside, the more likely you’ll be to attract a buyer.
“While buying a home is a very personal thing and all about lifestyle, it’s important to remember that emotions can easily cloud decision making.
“An independent buyer’s agent helps keep emotions and sanity in check, while attempting to tick as many boxes from the buyers’ wish list as possible.”
