Last week’s announcement came as gloomy news for local filmgoers who’d been counting on a field trip to see the new James Bond release (it’s been delayed again, this time, until next year). The news added to the wave of delayed premiers, which have many of the nation’s movie theaters pulling back from their reopening schedules. But the same pandemic-induced move probably came as a welcome shot in the arm for at least one group: companies connected with the home theater business.

In St. Cloud real estate terms, home theaters have long been desirable features—high-end attractions for homebuyers who prefer privacy over the group experience that big screen cineplexes provide. Notably, in pre-pandemic Southern California, luxury market Realtors^® had come to regard lavish home cinemas as a near-requirement in local home amenities.

In April, as COVID-19 shuttered U.S. movie houses, Forbes magazine zeroed in on a new angle for the trend: “Outrageous Home Theaters of the Rich and Famous—The Perfect Pandemic Escape.” They were portrayed as the ideal entertainment solution “for families looking for spaces where they can spend time together.” But maybe not for every family—the article’s photos centered on properties listed for over $10 million.

Yet even outside that elevated strata, the same trend is making inroads, though in a modified form. In St. Cloud, home theaters have the option of morphing into increasingly popular multipurpose entertainment areas—home theaters that facilitate other kinds of recreation. Per Forbes, families who don’t want to allocate “a large chunk” of their homes to movie viewing alone are welcoming designs that also accommodate “playing video games, listening to music, practicing, yoga, you name it…” Lately, St. Cloud residents might add zoom room and homeschool learning space to the Forbes list. If one designer’s report about what is “increasingly common” proves correct, more St. Cloud home theater areas are likely to forego yesterday’s permanent stadium seating in order to accommodate open floor space for all the other possible uses.

There’s no doubt that this year, people are spending more time closer to home—a fact that is changing some of the features that are high on “must-have” priority lists. When it comes to buying and selling St. Cloud homes, call me for the latest intelligence from the field!

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