Top features buyers are looking for in new homes in 2019.

I have seen several features becoming very popular in recent years. Everyone seems to want an open floor plan these days. Gray is the new neutral color that is taking over. Many love an updated kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

The National Association of Home Builders conducted a survey of home buyers to find out what the most important features are to buyers looking for in a new home in 2019. Some of these things surprised me. Let me know what you think!

11) A dining room. This one got me. I feel like many people do not use I dining room anymore! I’ve seen many who have made their dining room an office or a den.

10) An eat-in kitchen. This makes sense to me although this could be a bar height countertop and some stools or enough space for a table and chairs.

9) Walk-in closets. I totally get this! Especially in the master bedroom! There are so many beautiful closet systems and these do make a big impact.

8) Hardwood floors. This is something that has been getting popular for a while now. People are torn on whether or not to have carpet in the bedrooms, but most people want hardwoods every where else, in my experience.

7) A walk-in pantry. These also make a big impact! I’m happy to see these making the list. Walk-in pantries have not been a priority until recently. Clients are usually very excited to see this in a house!

6) Exterior lighting. This is talking about all lighting from landscape lighting, to motion-detection lighting to regular lighting fixtures be the front door. This highlights the house and landscaping giving the lighting an aesthetic function, but it is also looked at as a security feature.

5) Garage storage systems. These are important, especially if there is not a shed on the property. There is an abundance of these systems that have paneling and storage built that can easily be built into the walls. Buyers are looking for ways to store things and be organized.

4) Ceiling fans. This one is a little surprising to me, but its also great news for sellers. Ceiling fans are a relatively inexpensive upgrade to make to your house and they could help with your heating and cooling costs.

3) A patio. Patios are very appealing to home-buyers. Features like firepits and built-in seating or cooking areas are appealing for a couple of reasons. These features look amazing, but a patio also adds to the living space of the house, making it feel larger.

2) Energy efficient appliances and windows are sought-after features for home-buyers today. This makes sense to me. Buyers who are purchasing a house are spending a lot of money, quite possibly the most they have ever spent on a single purchase. They want appliances that will run well and cost less to run. Newer energy efficient windows are also appealing to buyers because they will save money on heating and cooling and replacing windows can be a large expense that a new home-owner does not want to think about for a while.

1) A dedicated laundry room is the number one feature buyers want in a home this year. Buyers like the idea of a laundry room with enough room for a utility sink and some added storage. Apparently, this set-up will make buyers want to fold their laundry right after its done washing and drying! Maybe I need to upgrade my laundry room!!

I hope you found this list helpful. Let me know what you think is the most-wanted feature for buyers!