The two most wanted features in a home are a laundry room and exterior lighting, according to NAHB’s latest study on consumer preferences – What Home Buyers Really Want (2021 Edition). The study is based on a national survey of more than 3,200 recent and prospective home buyers (people who bought homes in the previous three years or plan to do so in the next three years).
In order to compare features consistently, the survey asked buyers to rate 200+ home and community features using the same 4-tier scale: essential, desirable, indifferent, and do not want. The most wanted list (graph below) consists of 12 features that received an essential or desirable rating from at least 80% of all home buyers in the study.
In addition to a laundry room and exterior lighting (both wanted by 87% of buyers), the list also includes:
- Three features related to energy efficiency: ENERGY STAR windows, ENERGY STAR appliances, and energy efficient lighting.
- Two outdoor features: a patio and a front porch.
- Two kitchen features: a walk-in pantry and a double kitchen sink.
- Ceiling fans, hardwood floors for main level, and a full bath on that main level.
For a complete article summarizing this and other important findings, please click here. To understand how these preferences vary across buyers of different generations, income, or racial/ethnic groups, visit NAHB’s bookstore for a copy of the complete study.