As a custom home builder, you’re skilled at balancing market trends and popular requests with caring for the individual needs of your homeowner. We’ve seen an very important change in the homeowner market over the last few decades: women’s purchasing power. Women make a great deal of the homebuying decisions. And too note that single households are most likely to be headed by women.  Market research indicates that of our popular design trends, some are especially important and appreciated by women homeowners.

Drop Zones: These are areas near a garage or door that offer a place to store and organize important items. Coats, shoes, rain gear, mail, keyholders – all the things that become scatted throughout the home and make a disorganized mess. These drop zones are a great solution. As a custom home builder, what kind of drop zones can you create for your client? There are all sorts of aesthetic choices possible in finding just the right look for just the right spot!

Electronic Drop Zones: Between smart phones, tablets, ereaders, and music players, the modern family owns a plethora of electronic devices – and with them, a multitude of cords. As a custom home builder, consider offering a convenient, well-designed place that houses all of those cords for quick charging and storage. They hide the mess and protect against loss.

Convenient Laundry Rooms: The location of the laundry can save – or create – a lot of hassle. Having the laundry room built near the bedrooms is an increasingly popular trend. It’s a huge time saver, and far more convenient for washing and putting clothing away. What laundry room locations do you find popular for new custom homes?

Kitchen Storage: As a custom home builder, you know how important the right kitchen is to your client! Storage is often one of the top must-have for women buyers. This is especially true for kitchen cabinets. Pantries and cabinets that provide plenty of well-utilized storage space make the kitchen more usable and appealing. Important, too, is keeping them well-lit and easily accessible.

These are just a few popular trends in the custom homes market. Custom home builders create homes that are perfectly suited for the owner’s needs – and those of her family. What trends do you think are well worth watching?