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How has your idea of home changed after the past year and a half living with the COVID-19 pandemic?

While most people have always spent the majority of their time indoors (90%, on average), the pandemic appears to have shifted the location of where that time is spent.

• Instead of going into an office, some are working from home full-time or part-time.
• Instead of going to bars and restaurants, some prefer to stay in to make their own food and drinks at home.
• Instead of going to a gym, some have created their own workout space in a spare room or basement.

Many of these trends popped up at the start of the pandemic when there was no end in sight to social distancing and lockdowns. Now that widespread vaccinations have allowed some areas to start opening up, staying home is often a choice rather than a mandate.

Will all that time spent at home continue?

Home Trends That Will Likely Stick After the Pandemic

Home Buyers

The National Association of Realtors^® publishes an annual report on key trends and demographics of homebuyers and sellers. The 2021 report reveals the desires of younger homebuyers in the wake of the pandemic, when many are looking to get out of small apartments and into their very own homes.

Millennials—people aged 22-40—make up the largest percentage of homebuyers in the United States. That group, along with older members of the following generation (Gen Z), represent a large portion of working professionals, many of whom are starting families and either starting to save or increasing their savings for retirement.

Home Must-Haves

While home supply is low and prices are high in many areas of the country, for those who can afford the investment, the wish list is long for space and amenities. Here are some examples of what younger homebuyers are looking for:

• Investment opportunity, and a way to build wealth
• Dedicated home offices free from other distractions
• Fully equipped kitchens for those who picked up cooking as a hobby
• Private outdoor space like a yard for pets or a place for lounging in the sun
• Home workout space and fitness equipment
• Play space for children, and enough room for a growing family

Maximizing Home Comfort

All these trends add up to more people spending more of their time at home. Beyond having more square footage to relax in, homebuyers should consider how to make their total home environment as comfortable as it can be.

At AprilAire, we believe this starts with Healthy Air. So we created the AprilAire Healthy Air System^® to provide a blueprint for creating a Healthy Home environment in three key areas: fresh air ventilation, air filtration, and humidity control.

Here’s why those matter.

When exercising at home, you want to breathe in filtered air and be able to remove the humidity you create during your sweat session. Ideally, the humidity in your home should be between 40% and 60% for maximum health and comfort.

For home cooks, fresh air ventilation is key. The same goes for when you’re cleaning or doing renovations in your home. Proper ventilation lets your home inhale fresh air and exhale stagnant, polluted indoor air.

And when it comes time to sell your home and move on to a place that better suits your needs, keep in mind that Healthy Air can increase your resale value.

When you’ve made the investment in a new home, complete the space of your dreams by talking with an AprilAire Healthy Air Pro about our Indoor Air Quality solutions to fit your needs.

Find an AprilAire Healthy Air Professional

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