Builders add more standard features yet basics vary

New homes were once a bare-bones purchase. Want hardwood floors? Be prepared to write a bigger check.

Now, builders are including huge amenity packages as standard features. Still, home shoppers will quickly discover that builders have their favorite touches and basics will vary widely.

For example, most new homes don’t come with options like rear-yard landscaping and a fenced backyard, according to John L. Scott’s Heather Andreini.

“But in the majority of Pacific Ridge Homes communities, that’s something that has been taken into consideration,” said Andreini, who specializes in selling Pacific Ridge homes in Snohomish County.

Other common highlights:

Multi-generational units: Many international buyers have family that lives with them fulltime or visits from another country, staying months at a time, greatly increasing the number of new homes with dual master suites. These floor plans ensure comfort and privacy while allowing a family to stay together.

Slabs in the kitchen: A fully appointed kitchen has become the most desirable feature in a new home, along with continuous slab countertops. A single piece of granite has become more preferable than multiple granite tiles sealed together. Slab surfaces are not only easier to maintain, but also provide a cleaner look.

Walk-in showers: Builders now seek a spa-like experience, offering walk-in showers with frameless glass shower doors and a stylish collection of showerheads and mixer valves.