Homebuilder Update from Urban Land Institute’s Fall Conference 2012

Creative License Internationals’ Principal, Claudia Gerster, just returned from the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Fall Conference in Denver, bringing new ideas and information on the future of homes, homebuilding, interior design, home design and more. From the conference, Claudia was excited about two main topics currently trending: Multigenerational living in current real estate trends and edible landscaping as a current home design trend and landscaping design trends.

First, multi-generational housing is on the rise, creating living spaces for families with both adult children, grandchildren and/or aging parents living under one roof. BuilderOnline.com recently reported the findings of a PulteGroup Home Survey that found “…multigenerational households could double in the foreseeable future, creating a need for homes with more space.” Whether for cultural reasons or because the economy is still struggling to find its footing, more and more families are collecting as a multi-generational unit in one living space. In turn, national and local homebuilders are offering affordable and functional home solutions to accommodate this family living style.

From the conference, specifically, Maracay Homes and Lennar Homes are homebuilders said to be leading the way in multigenerational housing product offering. From a recent blog by Maracay Homes, the homebuilder describe how they are addressing the multigenerational housing niche in their Arizona division as, “To address the need for multigenerational homes, Maracay has developed a series of attached and detached generation suites to serve the modern family’s lifestyle in our newest communities, Savannah and Montelena.” To see the full Maracay Homes blog post, click here.

Second, edible landscaping options are taking root in landscape design and outdoor living space design. Homebuilders in certain climates and areas are now offering garden design and installation as an optional backyard amenity. With the popularity of “eat local”, eat organic, farmer’s markets and the services that deliver vegetables to your door, a backyard garden is new and trending option for homeowners.