A Garage is the most important amenity in a home?

What about gourmet kitchens, fancy dining rooms, large lots?

They were second, third and fourth respectively, behind, yes, garages, as the most important amenity in a home, according to the July Century 21 Index.

First in a series of monthly surveys designed to track real estate trends in America, the survey is available on Century 21's America Online site.

Two thousand visitors, men and women, representing a range of income levels answered three questions in the first survey. Century 21 said 32 percent of them reported an annual household income of $75,000.

The survey asked participants if they are considering buying a new home, why they are considering a purchase and what amenities are most important in a home.

Most survey participants, 74 percent of them, said a garage is a sought after amenity.

Garages? Come on. It's where you park your car. Who cares?

"For some people, say those who have kids, it may be an important feature for the extra storage space, particularly in California. Back East, people have basements to put things. In California the garage becomes a basement," said Robert Moles president and CEO of Century 21 Real Estate Corp. in Parsimony, New Jersey.

It's also adds security to coming and going home. Drive in and shut the garage door behind you, before you walk inside the home. Without a garage you have to travel, exposed, from the curbside to your doorstep.

"There's obviously a high degree of sought after security attached to a garage. Kitchen and baths always seem to be way up there on such lists. It may be that (they chose garages over kitchens) that a modern kitchen is taken for granted. Not every home has a garage," Moles said.

Amenities

As for the responses to "What home amenities do you consider important?"

Here's how they stacked up:

American dreaming

Virtually all Americans are thinking about buying a new home. When asked Are you currently considering the purchase of a new home 93 percent of the respondents said "Yes", 7 percent said "No".

Century 21 attributes the overwhelming "Yes" vote to favorable market conditions, especially low interest rates that have been hovering around 7 percent for nearly a year. Buyers also believe appreciation will make their home purchase a good investment, as well as a tax-deductible shelter.

"Clearly, Americans are aware that now is the time to take advantage of today's strong real estate market. This is the time to take advantage of the low interest rates lenders have to offer," Moles said.

Why buy?

Apparently the desire to move up to a larger home is a driving force behind so much desire to buy a home.

A third survey question, "Why are you considering this purchase?" obtained the following responses: