Every week, we ask a real estate professional for their Short List, a collection of tips and recommendations on an essential topic in real estate.This week, we talked with Samantha DeBianchi, founder and CEO of DeBianchi Real Estate.
If you’re thinking of selling your home, make sure your property is millennial-friendly. Now that millennials are the largest group in the workforce, it makes sense to market your property to fit their needs because there’s a good chance that a millennial could be your potential buyer. There are three trends to be aware of when marketing a home to the millennial generation:
1. Where the Amenities Are – Millennials, especially those who haven’t settled down to raise families, prefer living in a thriving area with lots of amenities, nightlife and things to do. By and large, many members of the generation are moving away from suburbs and back to city centers when possible. They like to be close to work as well as close to fun. They prefer areas that are walkable and bikeable, as well as pet-friendly for their four-legged friends. Some apartment buildings are including pet-friendly features like on-site dog parks. Hotels are even catering to this trend by being both cool and pet-friendly as more and more Millennials travel with their pets.
2. Quality of Life – Millennials will choose to live in a city first, and find a job later. They are all about quality of life and living in a place that they love first, and making it work instead of being tied to a place. As remote jobs become more available, they have the ability to work wherever they can take their laptop. They are also okay with living in smaller, unique spaces to be near their desired neighborhood. Loft projects, even renting out guest houses, have become popular options. Young, energetic first-time buyers are also unafraid to rehab a home with great bones in a spectacular location to be able to afford a dream home.
3. Renting First – Millennials are also delaying and some putting off homeownership indefinitely while paying down student debt. As the generation ages, more and more are ready to buy, but in the meantime, they’ll be looking for homes to both rent and purchase. If you have a property, don’t be afraid to rent it out, or work with a realtor who helps young professionals find rentals. Your renter (or someone else’s) may end up being your buyer down the road.
Samantha DeBianchi founded DeBianchi Real Estate in July 2011, and has represented a number of athletes, entrepreneurs and investors, and provides all of her clients with the best-in-class service. She was also the first woman to appear on Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing.