What homebuyers desire today
Homebuyers today gravitate toward open floor plans, in which the kitchen, family room and dining room share one space where family members can see and talk to one another.
For this reason, buyers in Georgia look for homes built in 2000 or later, mostly because the floor plans of 21st-century homes reflect the way people live today, Frye says.
She says buyers don't particularly want formal living rooms because they don't have formal furniture. A living room frequently is converted into a study or another family room.
"Everyone wants an open kitchen and family room, or at least a direct view from the family room into the kitchen, so that the family can be together even when someone is cooking," Frye says.
Buyers in the San Francisco area prefer a great room and an open floor plan, Coleman says.
"A lot of older homes in this area weren't built to be open, and have small rooms and small closets," Coleman says. "Those homes that have been renovated or can easily be changed into a more open design are extremely desirable."
Coleman says natural light is important to buyers, especially in combination with open rooms.