We’ve all thought about our dream home: the features, design, and amenities we would select if there were no limiting factors.
In What Home Buyers Really Want (2019 Edition), a study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders, close to 4,000 home buyers were surveyed to determine the most desirable features when looking for a home.
The survey found that the most desirable features are all about practicality.
Most Wanted Features
In the survey, participants ranked each feature as Essential, Desirable, Indifferent, or Do Not Want. These were the top ten features buyers look for in a home, according to the survey:
| Feature | Percentage of People who Rated the Feature ‘Essential’ or ‘Desirable’ |
| Laundry Room | 91% |
| ENERGY STAR rated windows | 89% |
| Patio | 87% |
| ENERGY STAR rated appliances | 86% |
| Ceiling Fan | 85% |
| Garage Storage | 85% |
| Exterior Lighting | 85% |
| Walk-in Pantry | 83% |
| Hardwood Flooring | 83% |
| Double Kitchen Sink | 81% |
A laundry room came in as the most desired feature in a home, with 91% noting this was important in their home search. Having a laundry room in the primary residence is convenient and saves our most valued asset: time.
The remaining top ten features focus heavily on sensible and sustainable features. Two spots in the top ten show that ENERGY STAR ratings are essential to today’s buyers.
In addition to ENERGY STAR windows and appliances in the top ten, ENERGY STAR for the entire home came in at number 11, with 81% of buyers stating it was essential or desirable in a home. Green construction is important to consider when moving into a new home, and ENERGY STAR features are one of the easiest ways to implement a sustainable lifestyle.
Storage is another factor homebuyers seriously consider, with both garage storage and a walk-in pantry making the top ten features.
Least Wanted Features
As far as what buyers are not looking for, here are the most unwanted features in a home:
| Feature | Percentage of People who Rated the Feature ‘Do Not Want’ |
| Elevator | 66% |
| Wine Cellar | 57% |
| Day Care Center | 50% |
| Plant Covered Roof | 50% |
| Pet Washing Station | 49% |
| Dual Toilets in Master Bath | 48% |
| Cork Flooring | 47% |
| Golf Course Community | 47% |
| Two Story Family Room | 47% |
| High Density Development | 46% |
The top two unwanted features in a home were an elevator, with 66% of home buyers stating they did not want one in a home, and a wine cellar, with 57% of participants stating they do not want one.
Other features that are unwanted by home buyers are focused on community amenities. Ones that made the ‘do not want’ list include a daycare center, plant-covered roof, pet washing station, and golf course community.
What are your most desired features in a home?