Walk into almost any open house and you’ll notice something curious: the sellers spent money on a fresh coat of paint and new light fixtures, yet left the laundry hookups in a closet under the stairs and the pantry barely big enough for a cereal box. Buyers notice too, and they walk out. The National Association of Home Builders released its 2024 edition of What Home Buyers Really Want, a nationwide survey of recent and prospective buyers that maps exactly which features make or break a purchase decision.
The findings are sharper than most sellers expect. With high interest rates and rising home prices, buyers have less flexibility to afford repairs or renovations after closing. In fact, more than half of buyers say a move-in-ready home is “very important.” That pressure has tightened the list of what counts as truly non-negotiable. Here are the nine features buyers consistently say a home must have, and a clear-eyed look at how many typical listings actually deliver them.
1. A Dedicated Laundry Room
1. A Dedicated Laundry Room (Image Credits: Unsplash)
A laundry room and exterior lighting are the two most wanted features in a home, both rated essential or desirable by roughly nine in ten buyers. The desire isn't about luxury; it's about function. Consumers are tired of laundry scattered throughout the home. Today's buyers are searching for a confined area with space to fold, hang clothes, and iron.
About a third of those surveyed say a laundry room is one of the most important home features. Similar to a pantry, with built-in storage, a laundry room helps keep cleaning supplies and laundry essentials neatly organized and out of sight. Homes that relegate washer and dryer hookups to a basement corner or a cramped hallway closet consistently lose points during showings, regardless of how polished everything else looks.
2. A Kitchen Island
2. A Kitchen Island (Image Credits: Pixabay)
The kitchen island tops the buyer priority list. Just over three in five surveyed professionals chose kitchen islands as buyers' number one priority. With built-in storage, islands help keep kitchens tidy by providing additional cabinets and drawers. This aligns with the fact that roughly four in five experts identified storage as the top kitchen priority in 2024.
An expansive kitchen island has been at the top of buyers' minds for years. Buyers often cite extra countertop storage, increased seating, and entertaining possibilities as the reasons why a kitchen island ranks so high on the list. The challenge for existing homes is real: older floor plans simply weren't built with islands in mind, and retrofitting one often means reworking plumbing or load-bearing walls.
3. Energy-Efficient Windows and Appliances
3. Energy-Efficient Windows and Appliances (Image Credits: Unsplash)
The NAHB's 2024 report found that buyers are looking specifically for Energy Star windows and Energy Star appliances when considering a home. Tankless water heaters and LED lighting are a few other energy-saving options that homebuyers seek when looking at properties. This isn't just environmental preference. It's a financial calculation, since buyers know that an inefficient home will cost them more every single month.
In 2024, the National Association of REALTORS conducted a survey to determine the state of the housing market regarding sustainability. The results suggest that the industry is right at the beginning of a "green revolution." Four in ten respondents noted that their MLS now includes green data fields, indicating a shift toward making sustainable features more visible to buyers. Homes without any energy efficiency upgrades are increasingly easy to overlook in a search.
4. A Walk-In Pantry
4. A Walk-In Pantry (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Walk-in pantries came in at number two among the most requested kitchen features. According to close to half of the professionals surveyed, this kitchen space is a top priority due to its ability to reduce clutter by providing plenty of shelves and storage options. The demand is partly a reaction to open-concept kitchens, where every inch of counter space is visible and mess has nowhere to hide.
The most wanted kitchen features include a double sink and a walk-in pantry. Looking at just the kitchen, the top five most wanted features are a double sink, a walk-in pantry, table space for eating, a central island, and drinking water filtration – all essential or desirable to over three quarters of buyers. Most older homes have neither a proper pantry nor a layout that easily accommodates one, which is why this feature alone eliminates a large share of the existing housing stock from serious consideration.
5. Outdoor Living Space, Especially a Covered Patio
5. Outdoor Living Space, Especially a Covered Patio (Image Credits: Pexels)
With roughly three in ten industry experts agreeing, a patio is a top priority. When compared to other outdoor living spaces such as a deck or porch, nearly half of experts say that a covered patio wins out in terms of most wanted. The preference for covered over open speaks to practicality: a covered patio extends the usable season and keeps outdoor furniture in better condition.
The trend of generous outdoor spaces doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Homebuyers are on the hunt for a house with a nice front porch and/or patio, exterior lighting, and good landscaping. Some are also looking for more elaborate features, such as outdoor fireplaces and outdoor kitchens. Homes with nothing but a small concrete slab out back are finding it harder to compete, particularly among buyers in the millennial demographic who entertain regularly.
6. Hardwood Flooring
6. Hardwood Flooring (Image Credits: Pexels)
Hardwood flooring is one of the most sought-after features for buyers, and for good reason: it's durable, stylish, and easier to clean than carpet. Beyond aesthetics, wood flooring is a practical investment. It holds up well against daily wear and tear, resists allergens, and adds long-term value to a home. Buyers walking into a home with original or recently refinished hardwood almost universally react more positively than those walking over worn carpet.
Over a quarter of experts believe today's buyers are looking specifically for hardwood flooring. That number sounds modest until you realize it outranks dozens of other features in the same survey. Hardwood flooring will always be highly sought-after in the home search process. Besides the timeless aspect of the material, hardwood floors can be sanded down again and again, allowing future buyers to refinish the floors to suit their preferences.
7. Smart Home Technology
7. Smart Home Technology (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Over the past few years, technology went from being an optional upgrade to an expectation. Buyers in 2025 want homes that are "plug-and-play" when it comes to smart features. That means everything from integrated security systems to video doorbells and even app-controlled lighting. A home without any of these features can feel dated in a way that goes beyond aesthetics; it signals that the property hasn't kept up.
Technology features are becoming increasingly popular, most notably security cameras, wired home security systems, programmable thermostats, video doorbells, multizone HVAC systems, and energy management systems. One of the fastest-growing trends is EV charging stations, as more households switch to electric vehicles. Homes equipped with these features instantly stand out to tech-savvy buyers who are thinking about long-term convenience.
8. A Dedicated Home Office or Flexible Workspace
8. A Dedicated Home Office or Flexible Workspace (Image Credits: Unsplash)
As remote work remains a norm, buyers crave homes with adaptable spaces. Millennials now make up nearly four in ten of the homebuying market, according to the 2024 NAR Generational Trends Report. This demographic shift underscores the importance of flexible spaces that can adapt to various needs, such as home offices or fitness areas.
The rise of hybrid and remote work continues to reshape the way people think about space. Buyers aren't just looking for a single-use home office anymore; they want rooms that can shift with their needs. A guest bedroom that doubles as a home gym, a finished basement designed for both work and play, or a bonus room that can evolve with a growing family – these multipurpose areas are becoming must-haves. A home that offers no quiet, purposeful workspace is losing a large share of its potential buyer pool before a showing even begins.
9. Adequate Storage Throughout, Including Garage Storage
9. Adequate Storage Throughout, Including Garage Storage (Image Credits: Pexels)
The more time people spend at home, the more important it becomes to keep everything organized and clutter-free. A few of the sought-after storage features named in the NAHB's survey include extra garage storage and a walk-in pantry. Storage isn't glamorous to photograph, but it's consistently among the top complaints buyers raise after touring homes. Closets too small to hold a winter wardrobe, garages too cluttered to park a car, cabinets too shallow for anything practical – these details add up fast.
Buyers are opting for smaller homes than in previous years. Smaller doesn't necessarily mean small, however. Buyers are not willing to sacrifice the size of the kitchen or closets. The consistent message from the data is that buyers will trade square footage in rooms they don't use often, but they won't give up storage. A home that looks tight, cramped, or poorly organized in listing photos often doesn't make the showing shortlist at all.