Bright MLS conducted a nationwide survey of prospective homebuyers between December 15 and 16, 2024, to better understand the home features and neighborhood amenities that are most important to future homebuyers. According to responses from 672 individuals who were planning to buy a home in the future, the most important factor was the condition of the home. More than half (56.1%) said that it was “very important” to buy a home that was move-in ready, with no repairs or major improvements needed. Another 37.8% said that buying a home that was in move-in-ready condition was “somewhat important” to them.
Most important to buyers is whether there will be sufficient room, with 53.2% of respondents ranking the number of bedrooms as “very important” to them.
After the home’s size, the most sought-after feature was a garage, according to respondents planning to buy a home in the future, followed closely by a primary bedroom with en suite bathroom. Nearly 50% of respondents rated these home features as “very important” when looking for a home to buy.
Outdoor space was somewhat less important to survey respondents. Only 31.2% said that a large yard was a “very important” home feature, and just 24.3% responded that well-designed outdoor space was “very important.” But this survey suggests that future homebuyers would rather sit outside than work in the kitchen. Nearly one-third (32.5%) of individuals thinking about buying a home said a front porch was a “very important” feature, but only 24.8% rated a gourmet, upgraded kitchen as a must-have.
During the pandemic, homes with home office space were in demand but future homebuyers are less likely to need a home office as more workers return to the office. According to this survey, only 18.9% of future homebuyers said that a home office was a “very important” feature.
And while a majority of prospective homebuyers said that energy efficient / green features were “somewhat important,” only 32.0% said that they were a “very important” home amenity.
According to the survey, 40.2% of people considering a home purchase said that would look for a home in the suburbs. Nearly a quarter (23.5%) said that they wanted to buy a home in a small town, and 20.6% would look for a home in the city. Only 15.7% said that their preference would be a home in a rural or farm area.
As more people return to the office, proximity to work is becoming a more important factor to homebuyers. More than half (54.0%) of respondents said that distance from job/commute was a “very important” consideration, compared to 32.1% who said distance to family/friends was “very important.”
Walkability was cited by 36.1% of future homebuyers as being “very important,” although a smaller share—24.3%—ranked living near public transportation as “very important.” But around 31% of respondents said that it was “very important” to them to have retail/restaurants nearby and to have parks/open space nearby when buying a home.
School quality is also very important to some homebuyers. Over a third (35.6%) of future homebuyers reported that school quality was “very important” to them. But there is also a large pool of prospective buyers—38.1%—who are not considering school quality in their homebuying process.
