With the U.S. housing market finally picking back up, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) conducted a large study to pinpoint how recession may have influenced consumers' lifestyle preferences and home wish lists.  Released this month, the survey found that Americans desire:

• Energy Star appliances above all else
• energy-efficient laundry rooms
• high-end amenities such as kitchens with double sinks, French doors, and whole-house technology

What homeowners and buyers do not want, meanwhile, are:

• elevators
• golf course homes
• laminate countertops

NAHB also determined that the outer suburbs are favored when it comes to home location, with just 8 percent of those queried citing a preference for living in a city center.  That is a departure from what those in the apartment sector believe: that recession and escalating gasoline prices are creating demand for urban lifestyles.

Source: CNBC Europe...Information Inc.