We found this recent article by Jennifer A. Kingson who writes for Axios Cities very interesting. You can read the whole article here or just these excerpts below. We'd love to know what you think...

The pandemic has changed what Americans want from their homes, and builders say they expect those changes to last.

The big picture: A ton of pandemic-era adaptations are becoming common fixtures in new homes. The model homes that builders are showing off today are meant for working, living and learning, not just coming home and crashing at the end of the day.

Details: Big pre-pandemic trends — open plans with big kitchen islands — aren't going anywhere. But overall footprints are getting bigger as builders add on more smaller rooms, which may need to function as offices, play rooms, home gyms or dens, depending on the family. Bathrooms are getting bigger, in part because we use them more often when we're home all day. And every room of the house is more wired — builders are adding power outlets and USB ports to accommodate the devices essential to working or attending school from home. Some homes also feature separate entrances for guests, with easy access to a powder room for hand-washing.

Between the lines: "Homes are becoming more like office space," says Amit Haller, CEO and co-founder of the homebuilding company Veev. "There is the grand opening area with a very large countertop island that allows people to eat together." From there, residents can carry their laptops to private rooms as needed. "The bedroom is going to be literally like your conference room and your private space," Haller says.

By the numbers: The median size of a new single-family home has already grown by about 10% since 2009, and will likely keep growing. More than a third of Millennials (36%) want larger homes as a result of the pandemic, a survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found. Millennials and Gen Xers want more bedrooms, exercise rooms and home offices. Dedicated rooms are popping up for video games, golf simulators, Zoom calls or relaxation — so called "Zen rooms.” But bigger houses are more expensive, and high interest rates will only make a mortgage even harder to afford.