A sneak peek into the Aussie family’s Christmas-style wish list for housing

Gone are the days of chimneys on house rooves – instead, replaced in their presence are solar panels, or, simply nothing at all.

The need for chimneys in Australian house design has slowly lessened as electric heating has come into play. The only houses these days that feature a chimney are those built pre-1980, or those whose owners desire a touch of rustic ambience in their living room.

However it’s at this time of the year that we get questioned by our young children: “But, if we don’t have a chimney, how will Santa deliver our presents?”

Parents around the world (other than those living in city apartments who probably figured this out decades ago), have had to quickly create another method in which Santa can enter the house.

We’ve heard stories of magic keys and reindeer dust capable of opening the front door – a good effort on the parent’s behalf, and one that definitely keeps up with today’s house designs.

The ever-evolving family home has gone through many changes, both derived from innovative building and consumer-driven modification to keep up with the wants and demands of modern day life.

So what does the average Aussie family want in a house?

As an agency, we get Christmas-style wish list requests from people on a daily basis. This criteria most commonly comprises of:

• Neutral tones throughout the home

• Tiled and air-conditioned

• Open plan design

• Gourmet kitchen with work bench

• Bedrooms with built-in-robes

• Modern bathroom with separate shower and bath

• And manicured lawns and established gardens.

For houses built post-2005, those elements are considered as basics and many of the houses that we’ve sold and bought for clients do satisfy that criteria.

But what do we find if we really drill down to what the Aussie family actually wants? Well, the overall theme seems to be flexibility and affordability, such as:

• Multipurpose rooms

This is a big one for Aussie families who are in the growing phase. When we come across a house that gives us the flexibility of having two rooms for the price of one, we know which house we’re going to choose. This can range from converting bedroom-sized rooms into a study or entertainment area once the kids have left, or turning the basement into the highly-coveted man cave.

• Alfresco entertaining area

We love entertaining, and we love our BBQs, so it’s no wonder why alfresco areas have boomed in popularity over the past decade. Large glass openings that make a seamless transition from inside to outside are a winner, with terraces and decks acting as an extension of the interior rooms. Cool breezes drawn in by the wide open alfresco doors and windows also reduce the need for air-conditioning, keeping more money in your back pocket.

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So there you have it – a sneak peek into the Aussie family’s Christmas wish list for housing, backed up by the 200 properties we’ve sold in the past few years.

If you’d like to know more, or you are considering buying or selling in Darwin or Palmerston in the near future, talk to the professionals who have over 65 years’ combined experience in the Darwin market.

Give us a call today on (08) 8932 8858 to talk about your next step in the market, we would love to hear from you.