It’s no wonder that an increasing number of homebuyers prefers new construction over resale, given that HGTV, with all its exciting home-beautification programming, ranks as the No. 4 basic cable network; that’s just behind three major news and information networks, according to 2018 Nielsen ratings.

Even the National Association of Realtors (NAR) notes buyers’ increasing focus on the aesthetics, style and ease that comes with new construction. In its 2019 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, NAR concluded that, for more than a third of new-home buyers, the top two reasons for choosing new construction were to avoid major renovations and to gain freedom to customize design features.

And while the idea of emulating the beautiful homes on HGTV may sound pricey or confusing, the trend toward functional beauty actually creates more opportunity for buyers. That’s because builders have to offer more options to meet the buyers’ expectations.

“No one wants to buy a brand-new fixer-upper that they’re going to have to completely remodel in five years,” said Jennifer Kamenca, vice president of design studio operations for Residential Design Services (RDS). The Southern California-based company contracts with several Bay Area builders, including Blue Mountain Communities and Signature Homes, to provide design services.

“When we get notified that there’s a new-home buyer, our designers reach out to the buyer and meet to go over what to expect and to gather pertinent lifestyle information that will help us help them,” said Kamenca. “We have more than 35 designers (in the area), a good portion of whom have been in the new-home industry for decades. They understand what it’s like to work on a production schedule, where time is of the essence, without making buyers feel rushed.”

Builders’ sales teams take a proactive approach to helping buyers make smart choices that will stand the test of time. They let buyers know how much time to allow for the initial design appointment and ask buyers to contemplate specific aspects of their lifestyle before the process begins.

With Residential Design Services, one step in that process is the style guide found on the company’s website. The interactive guide is simple and fun. You don’t even need to be in contract for a new house, or even in the market at all, to take the quiz. Using the style guide test, a buyer (or any curious individual, for that matter), views groups of pictures in different categories, selecting their favorite designs from each set. The style guide then produces a profile for the individual’s style.

Styles range from Modern Minimalist and Farmhouse Chic to Contemporary Coastal or Traditional and there’s even a Transitional/Eclectic Mix style that can meet the needs of people whose tastes include blended combinations of industrial, vintage and modern lines, materials and colors.

But what about finding a design style without choosing too many features that are trendy and that the buyer may not love five to seven years from now? A buyer might love a certain style of sink, tile or cabinet, for instance, but worry that the style will be a trend that dates them back to 2019.

Most builders’ design centers keep their studios filled with the latest trends as well as an excellent selection of classic or timeless trends. Designers and builders’ sales agents can work with people to incorporate a mix of both contemporary and traditional elements that blend but don’t conform too strictly to a single trend.

Builders and their professional design experts can tailor design combinations to buyers’ needs. The interactive floor plan program on many of TRI Pointe Homes communities’ websites, for example, lets buyers or curious web surfers enjoy a customer-driven approach to floor plans and design elements. The San Ramon-based builder has new-home communities in Fremont, Pleasant Hill, Morgan Hill, Dublin, Mountain House and Gilroy.

Available for most TRI Pointe communities, the web-based interactive floor plans allow buyers to click on various tabs and toggle between everything from home elevations, room options, orientation and some design features. Ask builders in the communities you’re considering what the best ways are to navigate design choices. Chances are, they’ve got answers — and programs — to help take the guesswork out of this exciting step in the new-home purchase.