As more people are choosing to rent deeper into their lives than ever before, the things people expect from an apartment unit and a rental community are changing. For many, apartment living is no long a stop along the way, but a viable option for people who do not find homeownership appealing. Because of this, what people expect out of apartment communities has changed, as well.
As The Washington Post reports, people expect to get many of the same luxuries found in single-family homes in their apartments. Things like granite countertops, washers and dryers, and high-end fixtures are all becoming the norm. However, many people are willing to sacrifice some living space and the luxuries that come with it for a community packed with amenities, and the socializing that comes with those amenities.
The results from the National Apartment Association survey found that of the top 10 community amenities, five of them involve bringing people together. Clubhouses and common areas for socializing, fitness centers, business centers, and pet-friendly amenities were all included.
Studies about which amenities renters prefer help to design communities with the type of things they will actually pay for, eliminating some of the issues associated with what building owners provide, and what renters want.
BD+C's sibling publication, Multifamily Design + Construction, is conducting its own survey of designers, contractors, builders, and developers on what amenities they have specified in the last 24 months. Please take 3-4 minute to take the survey yourself. Click here to get started.
Related Stories
| May 2, 2012
Building Team completes two additions at UCLA
New student housing buildings are part of UCLA’s Northwest Campus Student Housing In-Fill Project.
| May 2, 2012
Public housing can incorporate sustainable design
Sustainable design achievable without having to add significant cost; owner and residents reap benefits
| Apr 27, 2012
GreenExpo365.com to offer webinars on EPA’s WaterSense Program
Architects and builders interested in developing water-efficient buildings invited to attend free sessions featuring experts discussing water-efficient building practices.
| Apr 19, 2012
KTGY Group’s Arista Uptown Apartments in Broomfield, Colo. completed
First of eight buildings highlights unique amenities.
| Apr 6, 2012
Batson-Cook breaks ground on hotel adjacent to Infantry Museum & Fort Benning
The four-story, 65,000-ft property will feature 102 hotel rooms, including 14 studio suites.
| Mar 27, 2012
Precast concrete used for affordable, sustainable housing in New York
Largest affordable housing development in the nation will provide housing for close to 500,000 people.
| Mar 19, 2012
Mixed-use project redefines Midtown District in Plantation, Fla.
Stiles Construction is building the residential complex, which is one of Broward County’s first multifamily rental communities designed to achieve LEED certification from the USGBC.
| Mar 6, 2012
Country’s first Green House home for veterans completed
Residences at VA Danville to provide community-centered housing for military veterans.
| Mar 1, 2012
Reconstruction of L.A.’s Dunbar Hotel underway
Withee Malcolm Architects’ designs for the project include the complete renovation of the Dunbar Hotel and the Somerville Apartments I and II.
| Feb 15, 2012
NAHB sees gradual improvement in multifamily sales for boomers
However, since the conditions of the current overall housing market are limiting their ability to sell their existing homes, this market is not recovering as quickly as might have been expected.
