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Outdoor Living Space: The Heart of the Home?

by Mike Wheatley

Saber Grills surveyed 1,500 home owners from across the U.S., and 83 percent said that outdoor living space is their favorite part of their home.

As your clients are prepping their homes for the summer selling season, they may want to keep outdoor space in mind. According to Saber’s Outdoor Living 2014 survey, approximately 81 percent of respondents called their outdoor space “the heart of the home.”

photo credit: stonescape via photopin cc

The survey also asked about people’s outdoor recreation and decorating preferences, and 51 percent of respondents said they update their outdoor space as often as their favorite interior room.

Topping the list of outdoor additions was a grill, followed up with “access to Wi-Fi.” Baby Boomers in the Southern and Midwestern U.S. are most likely to add TVs, Wi-Fi, and special lighting to outdoor space, according to the survey.

“We’ve dubbed this group ‘super relaxers’,” says Rob Schwing, general manager of Saber Grills. “The outdoor space was a major factor in their home buying decision and they are very engaged in making it comfortable. This group leads the way in defining how an outdoor space can be used and decorated.”

Here are some regional trends identified in Saber Grills’ survey:

• Midwesterners are the most interactive with their outdoor space: They update and accessorize most often and 75 percent use it throughout the week.
• Topping of the wish list of outdoor furnishings for all regions was a pool or hot tub. Southerners and Westerners are most likely to include an outdoor kitchen in the top three.
• South and Northeast residents have the biggest outdoor parties, usually entertaining more than five people.
• Southerners are most likely to own two or more grills; Northeasterners, just one.
• Northeasterners topped the list with nearly 30 percent considering themselves “confident” grillers.

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