Will new homes be new enough?

In the near future, cutting-edge homes may pass into obsolescence as fast as today’s PCs. With software designers and homebuilders already collaborating to integrate home-networking technology and "smart-home" wiring into prototype homes, such as the Microsoft Home in New York City, predictions for a home technology explosion abound.

In a Los Angeles Times article, Kurt Scherf of Parks Associates, which forecasts residential tech-nology trends, predicted that by 2004, 45% of new homes constructed in America will offer built-in networking.

Other analysts predict that consumers will look for homes that can adapt to technology, rather than anticipate it. Steve Petruska of Pulte Homes believes that consumers will want "future-friendly" homes with amenities like built-in computer stations and keyless entry, according to Inman News.

Whether consumers prefer technologically static or dynamic homes remains to be seen. But it seems clear that new home options are about to get more exciting.

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