Houston luxury real estate investors aren’t looking for an average Texan home. Buyers seeking luxury real estate in Houston are willing to pay premium prices, but they expect comfort, convenience, and the most modern amenities available. Beyond being an investment in one of the largest and most dynamic cities in the nation, a Houston luxury home is a source of pride.
Below are the nine luxury amenities home buyers desire most.
1. Restaurant-style kitchens
With a growing interest in preparing upscale meals at home, buyers seeking Houston luxury homes expect a fully-equipped home kitchen. If you’re preparing to list your Houston home for sale, remember that kitchen renovations are about more than just sheer size and having a granite-topped island (although those are highly desirable features). Most of all, luxury buyers want a restaurant-sized refrigerator/freezer, a double oven, a wine cooler, a large pantry, and state-of-the-art built-in appliances. They are seeking kitchens where recreating their favorite restaurant-quality dishes is a breeze.
2. Wine tasting rooms
Fine wines are an abiding feature of luxury living. For today’s buyers, a wine cellar is a great feature to add—but why stop there? Wine tasting rooms provide a way to display bottles of a homeowner’s favorite vintages, on beautiful racks or behind glass, and with proper lighting and air conditioning. A wine tasting room should also have storage for glasses, corkscrews, and other wine lovers’ equipment, as well as a table with comfy seats for sampling with guests. A wine tasting room is an amenity that takes hosting in a Houston luxury home to the next level.
3. Home theaters
Buyers of luxury real estate in Houston want more than a big-screen television. True luxury means an entertainment center and home theater that includes a large, movie theater screen with a state-of-the-art 4K projection system and Dolby Surround Sound. Theater-style seating is an important amenity that elevates a media room up to a home theater. Cozy couches and recliners add to the comfort and luxury. Add in a billiard table, arcade-style games, and a bar for mixing and enjoying cocktails.
4. Gyms, spas, and saunas
Physical fitness is essential to luxury home buyers, and over the past two years, many have come to prefer exercise in the comfort of their own homes. Rather than a workout area, they want a full gym loaded with free weights, exercise machines, ellipticals, and exercise bikes. Add in a yoga room, a spa, and a sauna, where buyers can imagine relaxing and pampering themselves.
5. Smart tech
Modern technology has the ability to make everything faster and easier. This is an amenity that luxury homebuyers crave. Lighting a fireplace, dimming or turning on lights, and even opening doors can happen at the touch of a button. The same is true for adjusting the temperature and turning appliances on and off. There are voice controls for all of these actions, which can be a nice touch for your realtor to emphasize when showing your Houston luxury home for sale. Other desirable technology includes solar panels and charging stations for electric cars.
6. Incredible views
When choosing a home, buyers will first consider its location. Mountainscapes, forests, oceans, and other water views are popular. Other buyers may enjoy the skyline of a large city. Wherever your Houston real estate is located, playing up the vistas nearby will provide an influential backdrop for prospective buyers. Large windows and outdoor balconies help to emphasize these views, especially when they face sunrises or sunsets. Looking outward should be breathtaking and inspiring.
7. Resort-style swimming pools
A swimming pool is a classic feature that many Houston homebuyers look for when seeking luxury real estate. When buyers are shopping for top-of-the-line amenities, a huge, resort-style pool is the goal. Heated, Olympic-sized pools with plenty of room for swimming laps (and perhaps both indoor and outdoor sections) are hard to find and highly desirable. Waterfalls, slides, and diving boards add to the beauty and the fun of owning a luxury home during the hot summer months of the Lone Star State. An attached jacuzzi and a poolside bar are other luxury amenities to consider adding, as a unique layout will make your Houston home that much more attractive to buyers.
8. Sports facilities
Being active is crucial for many wealthy buyers, especially those who have a lifestyle where leisure sports have a prominent role. Including putting green and tennis courts on your property will allow luxury buyers to imagine themselves honing their favorite game anytime the weather is good. Pickleball, racketball, and volleyball courts are popular, as are flat green spaces for bocce, croquet, and other lawn sports. These amenities are fun for homeowners and guests when entertaining outdoors.
9. Luxury garages
For those seeking luxury real estate in Houston, a garage is more than a place to store a car and lawn chairs. It’s a large room that should be as beautiful and functional as the luxury vehicles it’s meant to house. This space must have appropriate lighting and clean floors and walls. Organized storage for tools is desirable for those who like to work on their vehicles. Extra parking for guests is also nice to have for those days and nights of entertaining.
Ready to list a Houston luxury home for sale?
When looking for Houston real estate, luxury buyers from around the world will expect nothing but the best. If you’re selling (or buying!) a luxury home in the Houston area, reach out to Natasha Valasek. Natasha has worked in the luxury real estate market for more than 14 years and has been named The Women's Council of Realtors Entrepreneur of the Year. When you’re ready to learn more about buying or selling a Houston luxury home, contact Natasha and her team.