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
Mixed-Use | Sep 21, 2017
Entire living rooms become balconies in a new Lower East Side mixed-used development
NanaWall panels add a unique dimension to condos at 60 Orchard Street in New York City.
Giants 400 | Sep 20, 2017
Bubble? What bubble?: Apartment and condo construction simply can't keep up with demand
Since the current multifamily boom took off in 2010, most activity has focused on large urban areas.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 20, 2017
New housing development rises from a historic textile mill’s ashes
Loft Five50 will add 137 housing units to Lawrence, Mass.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 19, 2017
Top 90 multifamily construction firms
Lendlease, Suffolk Construction, and Clark Group top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest multifamily sector contractor and construction management firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Sep 18, 2017
Top 40 multifamily engineering firms
WSP, AECOM, and Thronton Tomasetti top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest multifamily sector engineering and EA firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 15, 2017
Hurricane Harvey damaged fewer apartments in greater Houston than estimated
As of Sept. 14, 166 properties reported damage to 8,956 units, about 1.4% of the total supply of apartments, according to ApartmentData.com.
Giants 400 | Sep 14, 2017
Top 95 multifamily architecture firms
Humphreys & Partners Architects, KTGY, and Perkins Eastman top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest multifamily sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 5, 2017
Free WiFi, meeting rooms most popular business services amenities in multifamily developments
Complimentary, building-wide WiFi is more or less a given for marketing purposes in the multifamily arena.
University Buildings | Sep 1, 2017
The University of Texas receives boutique-style student housing complex
The Ruckus Lofts provide 46 furnished units and 165 beds for UT students.
Mixed-Use | Aug 30, 2017
Former industrial building becomes 'lifestyle community' in ever-evolving Baltimore
The new community offers 292 apartments with 20,000 sf of retail space.