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3/27/14
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Feature
Wait a second. We aren’t talking about that one – we’re referring to a different kind of love affair: a “home crush.” If you’ve found yourself swooning over a house you just can’t get out of your head, you’re not alone.
Of the women included in the survey: • 41 percent revealed that their home crush is out of their price range • 59 percent reported that their home crush is in their price range
In a new realtor.com® survey, 69 percent of the 1,000 people who responded said they have had a ‘home crush’ – a home they liked so much that they were drawn back to looking at it more than once online or in person.
Of the men included in the survey:
“We conducted the survey to see how searching for ‘the one’ in real estate correlates to searching for ‘the one’ in love, and we found that they are very similar,” said Barbara O’Connor, chief marketing officer at realtor.com®. “Buyers have to evaluate crushes based on turn-ons and turn-offs and whether the home is in their league, so they often find themselves spending a good amount of time checking out their crush online.” But what do you do when you’re pining for that perfect dwelling? Just as in romance, men and women respond to their home crushes quite differently, the survey found. Women were more likely than men to have a crush on a home that was out of their league financially, while men moved from one home crush to another more frequently than women. Men and women tend to fall for the same things when it comes to houses, though. Of those surveyed, 54 percent of women and 46 percent of men said they tended to fall in love with outdoor living spaces. Women also swooned for open floor plans and appliances and fixtures, while men’s hearts raced over a good garage and curb appeal. “Whether it’s love or real estate, having a short list of deal breakers is critical for finding ‘the one’ to help buyers weed through the crushes to find the home of their dreams,” said Leslie Piper, consumer housing specialist at realtor.com®. Majority of all surveyed consumers report having a home crush: • 69 percent of those surveyed said they have had a house crush • 31 percent said they have not had a crush on a house Women are more likely to cultivate crushes on homes that are out of their league financially:
• 30 percent indicated their home crush is out of their price range • 70 percent shared that their home crush is in their price range How often men and women establish a new crush on a home: Of the women included in the survey: • 29 percent indicated they cultivate a new house crush weekly • 26 percent believe they develop a new house crush monthly • 17 percent reported that they develop a new crush on a house quarterly Of the men included in the survey: • 36 percent indicated they find a new house crush weekly • 19 percent shared that they establish a new house crush monthly • 15 percent revealed that they develop a new crush on a house quarterly Top attributes that make consumers fall in real estate love: Of the women included in the survey: • 54 percent reported that outdoor living spaces make them fall in real estate love • 42 percent shared open floor plans • 29 percent swoon for curb appeal • 29 percent revealed updated appliances and fixtures Of the men included in the survey: • 46 percent indicated outdoor living spaces make them fall in real estate love • 40 percentage swoon for garages • 35 percent reported curb appeal • 30 percent revealed open floor plans CasaGuam.com 9