Article

2020-10-19 Economy

Pandemic reduces demand for homes with open floor plans

[Washington Examiner] The pandemic may have killed open floor plans in homes as buyers opt for walls over easily conversing as one person sits in the living room while the other cooks in the kitchen, according to real estate experts.

"They want more rooms instead of open space," said Joseph Zoppi, managing partner of Templar Real Estate in Princeton, New Jersey, which restores homes and then sells them.

His firm routinely used to tear down walls, such as the ones separating dining rooms from kitchens, because open floor plans were a big seller. Now, clients want walls.

"Everybody pre-COVID was looking at open spaces in terms of the floor plans. Now, they want privacy," he said.

Michael Rossi, CEO of New York City-based residential brokerage firm Elegran, told the Washington Examiner via email that open-concept floor plans, which have been "heavily favored in the last 10 to 15 years," no longer work for most homebuyers.

"The old adage ’location, location, location,' may change to ’space, space, space,’" he said.

Buyers want that space to accommodate additional rooms, said Michael Nourmand, president of Nourmand & Associates, a real estate brokerage firm located in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Hollywood, California.

"This [pandemic] has translated into increased demand for homes with a pool, gym, home office, guest house, game room, and screening room," he said.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-10-19 07:14|| || Front Page|| [11 views ] Top

#1 It would appear home builders and buyers in Cherokee County, GA. still haven't received the word. Thank you Messrs. Zoppi and Rossi.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-10-19 07:23|| 2020-10-19 07:23|| Front Page Top

#2 I never understood the "open concept". It's a lot easier to heat or cool a house if you can isolate rooms that don't need to be heated or cooled. And, if the rest of the family is watching something on TV that you don't like, you can go to another room and watch something else. And, if there are dirty dishes in the kitchen, you don't want that to be the first thing people see when they walk through your front door.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2020-10-19 13:24|| 2020-10-19 13:24|| Front Page Top

#3 In hot climates a high ceiling and an open floor plan have advantages as far as "natural cooling".

Posted by magpie 2020-10-19 16:09|| 2020-10-19 16:09|| Front Page Top

#4 House looks a lot bigger with an open floorplan.

Posted by rjschwarz 2020-10-19 17:10|| 2020-10-19 17:10|| Front Page Top

#5 So when I'm in the kitchen and the kids are playing Monopoly, I know when to start hiding the sharp objects and bludgeons.

Posted by swksvolFF 2020-10-19 17:51|| 2020-10-19 17:51|| Front Page Top

#6 I prefer a separate kitchen. I've grown quite tired of hearing the fridge--let alone the dishwasher--run while I'm in the front/living room.

Posted by Clem 2020-10-19 18:36|| 2020-10-19 18:36|| Front Page Top

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