As buyers look to determine what they want in a house, they often describe a combination of features you see in older homes (like charm) and newer homes (like big closets). Older homes have “character” and people tend to love Craftsmans, Tudors, Victorians, Eichlers, and Art Deco styles. Holding a Craftsman home open on a Sunday will certainly bring in all the neighbors to ooh and ahh about the woodwork, built-ins and inlaid hardwood flooring. And holding a Tudor will definitely bring in lots of comments about beams in the ceilings and if there’s an interior balcony, people go nuts!
New construction draws people who like the modern conveniences of a house designed closer to 1980 than 1908. Newer homes tend to have a more open floor plan on the main level, are often 2 stories and many have a bedroom and full bathroom on the main level ~ perhaps for an office away from the second floor bedrooms or a place for in-laws to live or stay when they visit. They typically have lots of storage (usually a garage plus an attic), an ensuite bathroom off the primary bedroom and large closets. Both types of homes are in high demand in the San Francisco Bay Area Real Estate market, but the MOST desirable are a hybrid offering the charm of an older home with the thoughtful layout of a newer home. These places sell for top dollar every time!
