Homes With a Bit of the Homeland

Annie Gowen of the Washington Post has a wonderful article (“Homes With a Bit of the Homeland: Builders Are Catering to Area’s Increasing Immigrant Population”) that discusses how immigrants are changing the housing market, specifically the types of homes being built.   Much has been written about how immigrants are consumers and have effects on the consumer markets.  Housing is no different.  For example, many Latina/os want homes with gas stoives — tortillas are not very easy to cook on electric ranges!  (Try it if you do not believe me.).  And Centex Homes sales representatives who were marketing townhouses noticed that Asian buyers avoided purchasing a model in which the stairs leading up from the foyer lined up exactly with the front door. The reason — bad feng shui; it portends that luck will run out of the home.

KJ