Healthy homes of the future are here as Taylor Morrison (NASDAQ:TMHC), the nation’s fifth largest homebuilder and developer, recently introduced TM LiveWell as its new standard offering for all new-construction, yet-to-be-built homes sold beginning Aug. 1.
Inspired by homebuyers’ input amid the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based builder says it is the first to offer consumers healthy home features at no additional cost with TM LiveWell’s in-home products for safer and cleaner living.
“Consumers are consciously aware of the health benefits and perceived risks in virtually every environment they’re entering today — stores, schools, planes — so naturally they’re just as tuned in to the health of their homes,” says Taylor Morrison chairman and CEO Sheryl Palmer.
“As a builder we often say we stand for progress, and through TM LiveWell, we hope to set the standard for what customers deserve in this day and age from their place of sanctuary. Our focus on cleaner air and water and less exposure to chemicals is only the beginning.”
Health & Wellness Features Trending with New-Construction Homebuyers
According to Taylor Morrison’s latest research, more than one-third of surveyed home shoppers said they seek to purchase a new home rather than a resale for better in-home health and wellness features.
The survey also revealed strong interest among today’s younger demographic with nearly 40% of Millennial and 35% of the Gen X home shoppers indicating they desire health and wellness features in a new home, according to the builder.
All Taylor Morrison new construction homes sold as of Aug. 1, 2020 will include the TM LiveWell base package. Homebuyers will also soon have the option to peruse and select additional healthy products in Taylor Morrison’s Design Studios, according to the builder.
For the time being, among the standard products are:
- Lennox Whole-House Air Filtration System: Indoor air quality (IAQ) solution removes up to 99% of particles (dust, dirt and mold spores) for improved air quality.
- Honeywell T6 Pro Smart Thermostats with Wi-Fi: Provides integrated control for HVAC and ventilation with indoor air quality maintenance reminders.
- Broan-NuTone SurfaceShield Bath Fans: Introduced at this year’s International Builders’ Show, the fans’ Vital Vio LED technology that Broan-NuTone says is deadly to bacteria, fungi and mold, allowing for hands-free cleaning protection but cause no harm to people, pets and plants.
- GE Smart Whole-Home Water Filtration System: Provides technology for better water quality along with remote leak detection and water shut-off capability for home safety.
- Sherwin Williams Harmony Paint: Keeps rooms fresher with odor reducing technology and features a chemical-free formula for better indoor air quality.
- Moen MotionSense Touchless Faucets: To help control the spread of germs; and Moen Chef Series Garbage Disposals: For fast cleanup in the kitchen.
Market Research, Other Builders Underscore Healthy Home
The homebuilder adds that this “bias for new” holds true across the industry, supported by firms such as Meyers Research, which provides leading housing market data and trends for real estate development and new home construction.
“As we adapt to COVID-19 and the uncertainty it brings to our lives and economy, one thing is certain: ‘healthy’ is the new focus for the spaces in which we live, work and play,” says Meyers Research senior managing principal Tim Sullivan.
“Our national consumer research shows that home shoppers are looking first and foremost for air quality, clean water and antibacterial surfaces.”
Other big homebuilders have also embraced the healthy home and wellness/biophilia trends recently. KB Home (Nasdaq: KBH), for example, became the first to join the Well Living Lab Alliance, a group headed by a collaboration between the Mayo Clinic and Delos, the pioneering wellness company and provider of the DARWIN Home Wellness Intelligence platform.
The Delos system – which achieves its wellness capabilities through proprietary sensor monitoring that works across a home’s air filtration, water purification, circadian light and comfort features – complements KB Home’s smart home offerings through other partnerships with brands that include Google and Dish.
