Student Thesis

Cookie-cutter Houses: Homeowner’s Purchasing Decisions

The purpose of this research was to study the home buying trends of the American single-family and what factors influence these trends today. It specifically examined factors that influenced homeowners to purchase houses in two developments consisting of large, prefabricated, cookie-cutter style homes in western Pennsylvania.

This research will be valuable to the real estate market and also new home builders. The objective was to further understand what is most important to consumers and help predict home design and buying trends for today and the future. A change in buying trends that gravitates more towards interior aspects of a home may also entice builders to hire the services of an interior designer and see them as more of an asset and essential to their team.