What the wealthy want in home amenities

Wealthy homebuyers rank open floor plans, smart technologies, and pools as top amenities in their home purchases, according to a recent survey by Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Luxury Institute of buyers who earn more than $250,000 a year.

Here are their top-ranked amenities, according to the survey:

-An open floor plan was cited by 39 percent as the No. 1 preferred amenity

-Fully automated/wired home system, which could encompass high-speed cable and integrated music systems, computerized lighting, and home monitoring systems

-Pool

-Outdoor kitchen

-Gym

-Home theater

Wealthy homebuyers ranked the following amenities as “less important”: wine cellar, guest house, safe room, separate catering kitchen, tennis court, and staff quarters (which came in last on the list).

The average home purchase for this “wealthy” segment of buyers was estimated at $1.6 million.