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cover story Amenities Seal the Deal E specially as the amenities become more attractive. According to the NAHB study, 19 percent of those surveyed would like their communities to be near office, retail, or other commercial buildings. Also, green spaces are important to future homeowners, with 60 percent of respondents saying that a home near walking and jogging trails will influence their choice to buy. Other features homebuyers found attractive were proximity amenities that future buyers are requiring. "Builders and developers play an integral role in both reflecting and defining our tastes. They're businesses, obviously, and they're in business to succeed," said Anthony Azar, president of strategic alliances for Keller Williams. "To do that, they have to offer great products. They have to provide homeowners with layouts and amenities that fit their lifestyle and build quality homes that will grow in value." He went on: "Today's planned communities are very different what people's tastes, needs, and wants are to builders and developers," Liniger said, "and they will create the communities that homebuyers need and with the changes they want." Azar believes there is a responsibility for industry leaders to focus on being as transparent as possible. "Like builders and developers, real estate industry leaders have an opportunity and responsibility to shape dynamic, livable communities," he said. "No matter the role we play in the housing market, we all share the "I think the main thing is that homeowners should know that a home is not a piggybank." — Dave Liniger, president of RE/MAX to park areas and outdoor swimming pools, with 54 percent and 50 percent, respectively, replying that those amenities would help sway a decision. Since the recession, the trend to downsize has picked up steam. Kolko says that people's ideal home size started to shrink as they began to take a hard look at what they deemed necessary—or not. According to the NAHB survey, the appropriate amount of wiggle room is the most important characteristic in home purchases, with 65 percent of respondents affirming that space is the main concern. As a result, builders and industry leaders are stepping up to the plate to accommodate those needs, constructing tighter communities with the exact 24 | The M Report than the homes that were built just a decade or two ago. And infill developers and custom-home builders are creating some exciting architecture that's out there. It's a great time to buy a home." responsibility to act ethically and transparently and to learn from the lessons of the recent economic downturn." Communication Matters W I t's a concerted effort to communicate all of the wants and needs to the builders and developers, and, likewise, industry leaders must be able to listen to the buyer and translate that to the developer. "The Realtors are generally involved in the communities they work in, so I think we know our market, we know our buyers, and we communicate Lessons Learned hat's most important is that the homeowners in these communities keep the lessons learned from the crisis in the forefront of their minds and look to the past for lessons on to avoid repeating it. "The housing crisis provided great clarity on the basic principles we all need to be living by," Azar said. "Act responsibly. Live within your means. Research your options carefully. Be honest with yourself and those you enter into business with about your situation. Treat everyone with the fairness and integrity they deserve." Most importantly, homeowners have to change the way they view homeownership. Before the crisis, the "lunatic fringe" that said house prices would never go down has been weeded out, according to Liniger, and homebuyers now realize there is a level of security needed when buying a home. But now there is more awareness about what homeownership entails: having a down-payment, having good credit, not buying more home than a person can afford, and having pride in maintaining a home. "I think the main thing is that homeowners should know that a home is not a piggybank," Liniger said. "We know so many people who refinanced. Young people also have to understand— especially with the number coming out of college—that they are saddled with large amounts of student loan debt that they will have to pay off as well, so remaining responsible is key." In the end, the onus is on everyone to maintain these newly developing communities. "We all share the responsibility of contributing to the kinds of communities we want to be part of," Azar said. "New homeowners bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm. They have a fresh perspective on the community they're joining. They haven't established habits or patterns of living in their new home so they're in a great place to take initiative and make new connections." And it makes sense because the American dream of homeownership is still alive for many. That dream, in fact, is an ideal that will continue to be passed down through generations, Liniger says. "We want quality, people want to feel good about where they live, they want the houses to be in good upkeep, they want the yards to be maintained, I just don't think this generation is going to be much different than any previous generations."