The National Association of Home Builders asked builders across the country which feature they would be most likely to include in the homes they build this year. Luxury add-ons were missing from the list, but features that added to the livability of a home were at the top. Most builders would fit a master bedroom walk-in closet into their floor plans. Also topping the list were low-e windows, a laundry room, and a great room.

Useful Spaces
A master bedroom walk-in closet might seem like a luxury, but it has quickly become a necessity. Americans have more possessions―including clothing―than ever before. A home that is short on storage space, especially in the master bedroom, will have a much harder time selling. And when it comes time to wash those clothes, a washer and dryer tucked into a basement corner will not impress buyers. Builders are catering to buyers' needs by incorporating laundry rooms―with space for sorting, folding, and stain removing―into the main levels of a home.

Going Green to Save Green
On a median per square-foot basis, homeowners shell out 78 cents per square foot for electricity each year. But homeowners who purchase a new home only spend 65 cents per square foot each year. Make that new home environmentally-friendly, and the savings only improve―a fact that is leading many home buyers to purchase green homes. And many home builders are going beyond low-e windows; Energy Star-rated appliances and programmable thermostats are also popular features in new homes.

Family Time
Great rooms are on trend; many families want to spend time together in large, open-concept rooms. It's rare to find great rooms in older homes, so modern home builders are offering them in the new homes they construct. By catering to the needs of modern families, builders are satisfying their customers while boosting their profits.