Dream House Has a Familiar Look

The ideal dream house for 1988 sounds like “back to the future”: It is a single-family, detached ranch-style house with 1,911 square feet of living area.

The preference is for a house like that owned by many of the parents of today’s home-buying prospects, according to the 14th annual consumer survey conducted by Professional Builder magazine, a trade publication.

Consumers are motivated to buy this dream house--which has a national average price of $115,000--because of their desire to own property, the financial security that it promises and their belief that a home is essential in raising a family.

Traditional design is the preference for detached-home buyers, while condominium and town-house buyers prefer contemporary styling, according to the survey. Buyers would rather see larger kitchens and master bedroom/bath suites, while giving up space in the living room and having a smaller lot.

A two-car garage is required by more than 60% of those surveyed, with more interior storage space ranking high among those queried. Consumers are also interested in sun rooms, lofts and fitness centers in their ideal home.

The dollar amount that consumers are willing to pay for a down payment on this dream house is up a hefty $8,200 from last year’s survey to $23,200 for the 1988 buyer.