SPOKANE, Wash. — The housing demand in Spokane has pushed developers toward a new trend of reducing apartments from three bedrooms down to two and one-bedroom units.
It's a design that architect Jim Haines is seeing more often as the community continues to grow.
"5 to 8 years ago was kind of when the three-bedroom design started disappearing," Haines said.
He designed the Sherman Flats in the University District, which offers eight one-bedroom units and a single two-bedroom unit. Haines has an idea why this design is becoming more common.
"It's strictly economic," Haines said. "That's what the owners feel was most rentable. I've been told that three-bedroom units are kind of difficult to keep them fully occupied."
Tyson Young manages Sherman Flats property. He believes the shift to smaller apartment designs can be attributed to an influx of younger people in the community who can't afford to buy their first home under the current housing market.
"I think it's geared more towards the people who aren't buying," Young said. "We have kind of that group where maybe your family is getting a little bit larger, and maybe you are in a position to purchase. And so I think it's geared more towards the younger crowd and first-time renters."
Haines believes we can expect this new trend to stick around for some time because of the growth in our community.
Other trends he's noticed in new apartments are included technology features. Such as USB ports, smart appliances and smart thermostats.