The home buying market has slowed down, but homebuyers are stillactively looking at new listings. However, the COVID pandemic hasshifted priorities for many shoppers. According to EtcoHomes, which recently opened Terraces at AmbassadorGardens in Pasadena, buyers are focused on finding a home with moresquare footage, flexible spaces and security features.

"We have been preparing for quite some time for marketplacedemands to shift. Certainly in light of COVID people's focus hasshifted to wanting more space," Bree Long, SVP ofsales and marketing at Etco Homes, tells GlobeSt.com. "We had beenlooking at a lot of our buyers as downsizers, but I am starting tosee a resurgence of interest in larger square footage homes wherepeople can feel like they can hunker down and really livespaciously within their own confines."

In addition to increased square footage, buyers are also lookingfor flexible rooms and spaces within the floor plan—spaces that areadaptable for home offices, children's play areas and otherchanging needs for families. "Buyers are looking for flexiblespaces that lend themselves to personal use," says Long. "Peoplehave a variety of needs for space and privacy or use of rooms formultiple purposes. We have absolutely contemplated that for ourfloor plan layouts. That is going to be even more of a factor as wemove forward."