Melburnians are increasingly attracted to extra living space, and the recent lockdowns have enhanced this trend. The housing market is experiencing a boom, with Australians eager to get more living space to breathe.
While some are moving to regional Victoria, the moving isn’t always about a change of scenery. Instead, Melburnians are motivated by a desire for extra living space and would remain in the location they currently are, if they could.
The lockdown restrictions made many of us realise our homes could do with a refresh. Melburnians struggled to find enough space in their homes, whether for work or play. The kitchen became a classroom, the home office had multiple people needing it at once, and the rest of the house felt crowded. The cramped living raised stress and took a toll on mental health.
It can be tricky to balance the need for personal space particularly for growing families. There is also an emerging trend for multigenerational homes, where multiple generations live in a home, such as grandparents, parents, and children. This presents a whole host of challenges. Students and working parents need to study or work and the grandparents may have specific heath needs too. Younger children need room to play without disrupting the quiet space for other household members.
With multiple people under one roof, it’s no surprise we are seeing more people searching for homes with more space to breathe. Between March and October 2020, online searches for four and five-bedroom homes in Melbourne were higher than those of one or two-bedroom homes. Australians have always preferred bigger spaces, however, the pandemic appears to have increased this desire.
In 2019-2020, the houses built (on average) showed a 2.9% increase in square meterage. The current demand for more room was Australia’s most significant increase in 11 years.
It’s also worth noting that living spaces were decreasing in size for both houses and apartments before the recent increase. For example, the average Australian house size reached a 17-year low in 2018/2019. As a result, homeowners and apartment renters were making do with smaller living spaces.
2020 was a big reset. The demand for more bedrooms and more living areas changed the way Australians were building new homes and increased the demand for single storey and double storey extensions to existing properties.
Moving homes isn’t always the best option for many families. Many of us do not want to give up the location, lifestyle and relationships we have formed in our communities. There are unexpected costs of moving, both monetary and emotional. It can be distressing to move out of a cherished home, particularly for young children. We may also need to stay in our location due to work.
If you love your home or your neighbourhood, extensions let you stay home while gaining extra living space you need. Suppose you need a spare guest bedroom, a home office, or a bigger playroom. Extensions allow you to customise your house to fulfil your family’s needs.
In the 2011 census, data demonstrated that Australians gravitate towards more bedrooms. Whether it’s for guests, storage, or recreation, 48% of lone-person households lived in homes with three or more bedrooms. It’s clear Australians like some breathing room indoors.
Extensions aren’t limited to indoors and you don’t need to give up your entire backyard either. You can create a cosy outdoor living space for hosting barbeques or family game nights in the open air. Clever design helps you build your interior without losing your backyard. Expert planning lets you have both.
Whether you’re interested in extending up, out, or under, get in touch with our expert team at XL Built today!
