Millennials prefer a 'fixer-upper' to a cookie cutter home

The Millennials, recently deemed the next generation of homebuyers, have earned a new nickname for themselves: the Fix-It Generation.

According to a national survey released by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, 72% of Millennials (those born between 1982 and 2002) consider themselves just as handy — if not more so — than their parents.

Of those surveyed, 77% would prefer purposeful homes equipped with the technological capabilities many of us have grown accustomed to versus the “cookie cutter” luxury homes our parents’ generation wanted.

As soon as I read this, it made sense. I’ve written before about my personal home search experience. You see, I am a part of the Fix-It Generation, as we’re apparently being called now. My husband and I are targeting homes in an established North Texas suburb.

My preferred suburb is notorious for housing the wealthy and is considered a very safe and settled city. About 15 minutes up the road is a much newer city, where you can get more home for your money. You’re also farther from major highways as well as inconveniently farther from our favorite sushi place.

So my husband and I made a decision to look for an older home in the established - closer to work - suburb, which we considered a much better location, rather than finding a newer home a few miles up the road.

Like those 77% of Millennials, I would prefer a customized home in a better location compared to a more typical home, which may be more luxurious, but is less convenient in terms of location. For my generation, nothing takes the place of being in a good location around shops and restaurants and all of the local amenities with which we’ve become accustomed.

mhopkins@housingwire.com