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Having a living room is essential to most prospective home buyers, with 61 percent of first-time buyers listing that feature as their top requirement. Among shoppers who are looking for their second or subsequent home, 72 percent said a laundry room was their top must-have feature.
The poll results were among findings the National Association of Home Builders reported at this year’s International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Florida.
In addition to a living room, first-time buyers ranked a laundry room as their second highest priority, followed by a dining room, garage storage, and a walk-in closet in the master bedroom. Rounding out the list, with at least 40 percent of respondents ranking the feature as essential, were both a shower stall/tub in the master bedroom, a front porch, a great room, a two-car garage, and a double sink in the kitchen.
Second-time+ buyers had an expanded list that included most of the same items as first-timers but in a somewhat different order of preference. Their list of 14 essential features excluded the front porch and added five other features. The additional items that garnered mentions by at least 40 percent of the shoppers included a patio, table space for eating in the kitchen, hardwood floors on the main level, Energy-Star appliances, and granite countertops in the kitchen.
NAHB conducts regular polls of American adults and home buyers to better understand emerging trends and preferences. The organization’s Economics & Housing Policy Group also shared findings of research on tiny homes, driverless cars, and time devoted to home searching.