Lifestyle needs — growing families, in particular — are driving today’s home buyers, according to a sample of 700 North American associates of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Based on the poll results, 70 percent of property professionals cited a new baby or expanding family as the “most common” or a “very common” lifestyle motivator for seeking a new home. Other compelling factors for house-hunters included marriage, cited by 59 percent of survey participants; and retirement, mentioned by 37 percent. While most of the poll responses were parallel for agents in both the United States and Canada, one notable difference did emerge: 69 percent of agents in the U.S., where the economy and job market have endured recent slumps, said home buyers were being motivated by work-oriented reasons compared to just 55 percent in Canada. | Read More