Across the country, people are spending more and more time at home, and that is creating a unique situation for buyers and sellers. What people are looking for in their next home in 2021 is a bit different than what they might have wanted in years past. The features at the top of home buyers’ lists are all about comfort, convenience, and enjoying home dining and entertaining — especially as people are anticipating warmer temperatures on the horizon. The real estate experts at HomeLight recently interviewed more than 1,000 agents across the country to see the trends that they are noticing in their markets. Among their insights are the five features that buyers want for their homes in 2021. Here are some that are at the top of people’s lists:
Updated basics
When it comes to buying a home one of the top features that people are always looking for are updated floors, bathrooms, and walls. That doesn’t mean that everything needs to be brand new, but remnants of the past such as popcorn ceilings, shag carpets, and unusual color schemes for walls, should be replaced with neutral tones for ceiling and walls, streamlined floors (such as wood, composite, tile, or updated carpet), and no carpet in bathrooms. Making these changes can equal a huge difference for selling your home.
Bathrooms that mix form and function
In the era of Covid-19, bathrooms are doing double duty with everyone at home for remote work and school, and that means not only updating these spaces, but transforming them into sanctuaries. One of the top bathroom upgrades that buyers are looking for now is a double sink, as 65 percent of agents noted in the survey. Other features that are high on people’s lists are a rain shower head (39 percent), or an expanded linen closet (29 percent of agents reported). Agents are also noting that decorative tiling is also highly desirable.
Chef-ready kitchens
Remodeled kitchens are always hot, with stainless steel, updated cabinets, and granite countertops, but now, buyers want other features for top functionality, like enhanced lighting and workspaces, like a center island, as 64 percent of agents noted.
Outdoor kitchens
With more time at home in 2021, outdoor entertaining is getting an upgrade, and people are looking to go all out with outdoor kitchens, as 46 percent of agents noted it at the top of people’s lists of desirable home features. These kitchens go beyond outdoor grills to include sinks, bars, and even, an outdoor fridge.
Outdoor privacy and comfort
Outdoor spaces are more than just backyards, they are becoming an extension of people’s homes. Following that, buyers want these spaces to be not only private, with hedges or a fence (as a key feature according to 48 percent of agents), but also cozy, with a fire pit high on people’s lists, according to 54 percent of agents in the survey.
As sellers, it might be tempting to think that you need to make all of these upgrades, but the best strategy is to work with your agent to determine which ones are best for your home and return on investment, while keeping buyers’ interests in mind.
