Preference for Three-Bedroom Homes Reported

The dream house of a nationally representative sample of families polled by Professional Builder magazine is a three-bedroom, two-bath ranch-style house with 1,900 square feet and an average price of $121,000.

They want brick siding (45%)--except in the West where stucco is the preferred exterior material and the East where wood siding is the preferred material; a two-car garage (63.5%), traditional architecture (35.5%), a full basement (77.8%) and a master bedroom suite with walk-in closet and a private bath. The overwhelming number of shoppers (84.6%) want a detached house on its own lot.

The survey in the magazine’s December issue is based on 1,072 replies from families who said they would purchase a home within six months. Along with a separate survey questioning builders about their construction and marketing practices, it was conducted by National Family Opinion Inc.