In the November issue of The Institute’s Luxury Market Report one of the key topics was that luxury amenities were trending towards ‘wellness’ and that the ultra-wealthy are moving away from business as being their first priority to finding a place of ‘balance”. In fact, in a recent Wealth-X report and in the upcoming January Luxury Market Report you will see that for affluent homeowners under 40 their number one priority is ‘Sport’!
So what are the hot new trends for 2019?
In-home Fitness Centers and Massage Rooms
Health and wellness have become a high priority topic in North America. With celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Katy Perry and even the Guardian of the Galaxy himself, Chris Pratt, promoting healthy lifestyles, living well has become a popular trend – one that we hope sticks!
What this has meant for the luxury community is the installation of in-home fitness centers and massage rooms. After a long day of dealing in business and reports, high-net-worth individuals want nothing more than to be able to come home, blow off steam and relax.
The addition of an in-home fitness center or massage room offers the ultimate in relaxation and turns any estate into a haven from the outside world.
Resort Style Pools
In keeping with the relaxation trend, resort style pools is another incredibly popular luxury amenity. Now, a swimming pool has always been a wonderful addition to any household, but the luxury community takes pools to a whole new level!
These pools are the ultimate in both luxury and entertaining with features such as large hot tubs, diving pools, swim up kitchens and bars, spa areas, and backyard water parks featuring lazy rivers, rope swings and waterslides!
Image by Perlick
En Suite Refrigerators
Typically, when one considers a luxury refrigerator images of spacious kitchens, refrigerator drawers and walk-ins come to mind. We believe, however, that the case for an en suite refrigerator is a strong one.
For starters, an en suite refrigerator in incredibly versatile in it’s uses.
For those who prefer a cup of coffee in the morning or an adult beverage in the evenings, your drink would no longer be more than a few steps away. Additionally, some vitamins and medications require refrigeration and having an en suite fridge allows for these necessities to be readily available at your fingertips, rather than having to store them in the kitchen.
Lastly, cooler temperatures allow for makeup and moisturizers to stay fresher and produce a more refreshing feel when applied.
Companies such as Perlick offer tasteful refrigeration solutions that blend well with any bathroom or bedroom area.
Sport and Hobby Rooms
When it comes to sports and hobby rooms, the sky is really the limit when it comes to options and the amenities are as unique as the clients you serve.
We’ve seen everything from the standard home theaters, bowling alleys and arcades to private dance clubs, home sports pubs, and private runways and hangars for personal planes.
One of your key jobs as a realtor is to help the client creatively envision the space as their own, for example, turning an indoor shooting range into a private recording studio. By helping your client envision their personal dream home, and how the space can be best used to suit their interests, you are much more likely to make a sale.
Subterranean/Automatic parking
Affluent homeowners tend to own more than one vehicle. In fact, several of them may own a fleet of luxury cars. Subterranean parking allows them to store all of their vehicles, tastefully, and adding automation adds a level of convenience.
Automatic parking allows an individual to pull their car onto a pad, input a code and have their vehicle delivered to its designated parking spot. Likewise, when they are ready to leave, they need just enter a code and the desired car will be delivered directly to them.
What About Your Marketplace?
Ultimately it is important to stay up to date with the individual amenity trends in your marketplace. By knowing what buyers want you will be better prepared to help them find the home of their dreams – and hopefully earn a referral along the way!
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