2019 Home Feature 'Must-Haves'

The National Association of Home Builders released its 2019 home trends and buyer preferences report, based on survey data from roughly 4,000 homebuyers.

At the top of the list is having a laundry room. NAHB assistant vice president for survey research Rose Quint says, “Laundry rooms have become so popular because most people no longer want to see or step over messy lumps of dirty clothes in the hall or in the kitchen. Buyers want all that behind a door they can close and get to when they have time.” The next most popular home feature in the study was having Energy Star windows (officially certified to be energy efficient), outdoor patios, Energy Star appliances, and ceiling fans.

Buyers also have some strong preferences for the type of homes they want to live in and where they want those residences to be. The vast majority of shoppers, 77 percent, prefer detached, single-family homes, compared with 13 percent for townhouses, 4 percent for multifamily units such as condos, and 4 percent for manufactured (typically mobile) homes, according to the report.

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