SEATTLE, Dec. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- We've all been
there this year -- toddlers interrupting Zoom meetings, daydreaming
(or Zillow Surfing!) for more space, and shamelessly feeding
sourdough starter kits. 2020 has changed the way we live in and
outside our homes.
As people rethink their homes' functionality after spending more
time in them, features we never knew we needed -- such as a home
gym or no-touch appliances -- are more important than ever. While
public health precautions continue to keep us at home, these
features will only become more popular to create spaces that keep
our families safe, all while providing an oasis of comfort.
Driven by this new COVID era, Zillow shares top 10 home trends
for 2021 that will not only add comfort, but might even add extra
value to your home.
'Zoom Rooms'
A Zillow survey found a desire for a home
with a dedicated office tops the list of reasons why Americans
working from home say they would consider a move, if they were to
continue working remotely at least occasionally. In 2021, people
will receive more clarity from their employers about the ability to
telecommute moving forward, which could trigger a move to a home
with more space. And, as people tire of working from a
kitchen table, they will be wanting a more permanent -- and quiet
-- solution for their at-home desk.
As of November, the number of listings mentioned "home office"
or "Zoom room" increased by 48.5% compared to the same time last
year. Pennsylvania home builder
Berks Homes also says requests for an at-home study in lieu of
existing living space more than doubled this year.
'Homecation' Amenities
With lots of time and nowhere
to go, homeowners are coming up with creative solutions to create
vacation-vibes right at home. "Pool" was the top Zillow keyword
search term in 2020. "Waterfront" and "dock" also landed in the top
ten. Additionally, homeowners may be looking for big and small ways
to create a luxury experience at home, from upgrading to a spa-like
bathtub or relaxing rain shower. Zillow research shows home buyers
paid more for amenities that make their home feel like a retreat.
Listings that mentioned a free-standing tub typically sold for 5.5%
more than expected, while the listing keyword "spa-inspired"
contributed to a 1.8% price premium.
The rise of remote work will allow more homeowners to turn their
favorite vacation destination into their hometown. Page views of
for-sale listings in areas typically considered vacation
destinations - such as Key West, the Jersey Shore and Cape Cod -- are up nearly 50% compared to last
year.
Intergenerational Living
Intergenerational living will rise in popularity as young adults
and grandparents alike find themselves moving in with family for
financial and health reasons. According to Generations United,
about one in six Americans currently live in multigenerational
households, and this year, the share of young people moving back
home reached all-time highs as more Millennials and Gen Z'ers than
ever - particularly renters - found themselves packing their bags
and moving back in with their parents.
Katie Detwiler, Chief Experience
Officer at Berks Homes says this trend is manifesting in how people
are designing new construction homes, with more requests than ever
before for a finished basement with a full bathroom, and bedroom
additions.
Gourmet Kitchens
This year inspired people to break
out of their old baking habits and start new hobbies in the
kitchen, and in 2021 homeowners will want to level-up from their
sourdough obsession to create other culinary masterpieces. A
previous Zillow survey1 finds 41% of people value a
well-equipped kitchen more than before as a result of social
distancing recommendations -- and more people will want the space
to show off their new culinary skills in the next year.
"We've seen an increase in requests for gourmet kitchens," says
Katie Detwiler, Berks Homes' Chief
Experience Officer. "This includes bigger cabinets and island
additions so homeowners have the space they need to cook their
gourmet meals." Berks Homes has seen more than 100 more requests
for alternate kitchens and island additions this year compared to
last.
Backyard Oasis
A yard that is safe and functional has
taken on renewed importance -- a Zillow survey from the Harris
Poll2 found that 41% of people say they value a large
outdoor space more as a result of social distancing
recommendations.
There are many easy upgrades to make a backyard a relaxing oasis
the whole family can enjoy, and in tandem, increase the resale
value of your home. Zillow research finds homes mentioning
"firepit" in the listing sold for 2.8% more than similar homes, and
"outdoor kitchen" sold for 4.5% more. Smart sprinkler systems and
outdoor lighting are other features that add a contemporary flare
to a backyard that also help your home sell up to 15 days faster
than expected.
Smart and Safe Tech
It's more vital than ever that our
homes stay as germ-free as possible, and smart-home technology has
come to save the day, with products like touchless appliances,
self-cleaning toilets and bidets. And while a lot of these products
are niche right now, they will evolve to become the standard in
home design. Next year as homeowners can start welcoming guests
back inside, they will increasingly seek out creative solutions to
keep their spaces as germ-free and chic as possible.
"Our tech-driven appliances, solid surfaces and smart fixtures
have come to the rescue," says Kerrie
Kelly, Zillow home design expert and founder of Kerrie Kelly
Design Lab. "Features like voice-activated faucets, robotic
vacuums, and electronic-assistant controlled lights have updated
the traditional tasks of cooking and cleaning by incorporating
thoughtful innovation into home products."
Smart home technology is becoming increasingly appealing to
buyers. A Zillow analysis found that listings mentioning a
smart light in their listing description sold seven days faster
than expected, and listings mentioning a smart thermostat sold 6
days faster than expected. Features like a shiny, new touchless
faucet will rise in popularity as homeowners prioritize the
cleanliness of their home to keep their families safe and
germ-free.
Small City Living
Increased opportunity for remote
work has pushed many home shoppers to reconsider how and where they
want to live. Since there is less need to be close to urban job
centers, shoppers in 2021 may opt for wide open spaces and smaller,
more affordable communities. This trend is already playing out in
search traffic data.
Small cities, such as Borger,
Texas, Pierre, S.D. and
Vernal, Utah, accounted for the
greatest year-over-year growth in out-of-town search traffic, and a
dozen markets such as Pierre, SD,
Jackson, WY and Hudson, NY saw out-of-town search traffic
double this year. Newly pending sales for small cities (population
between 54,000 and 137,000) is up 34.3% since last year, and have
seen positive year-over-year pending sales since July. Small city
living will only continue to rise as telework becomes more
permanent and open up homeownership opportunities for renters.
Health and Wellness at Home
People across the country
quickly adapted to rapidly changing restrictions, creating fitness
clubs or mental wellness spaces in their homes. In November, 4.1%
of for-sale listings on Zillow mentioned health and wellness areas
in the home. Listings that mentioned "health and wellness"
increased starting in summer, peaking in November as lockdown
orders resumed and daylight took away precious daylight hours for
outdoor activities.
But it's not just physical health homeowners are prioritizing.
The isolation from social activities and loved ones will increase
the need for more-private "feng shui" areas -- spaces for
reflection and meditation to stay mentally fit, as well. Berks
Homes have seen floor plans adding an extra bedroom over a garage
or in their basement increase this year. These additional private
spaces may start to become meditation rooms, or a quiet room to
escape the chaos of life.
Pet-Friendly Living
The flexibility of remote work
gave many people the opportunity to be home all day, and in turn,
made it easier to add a new best friend to their family. According
to a Nielsen survey, 20% of respondents in July said they adopted
one or more dogs or cats between March and June, up from less than
5% over the same time last year. An increase in furry friends
joining families means "pet-friendly" rentals are on the rise, as
landlords entice renters with added benefits. Zillow
research3 found that 73.1% of rental listings allow
pets.
As people welcome more furry family members, Zillow expects they
will be looking for pet-friendly features in their next home. A
2020 Zillow analysis found for-sale listings mentioning a pet
shower or dog wash in their listing description sold for 5.1% more
than similar homes, while listings mentioning a fenced backyard in
their listing description sold 6.8 days faster than expected.
Rise in Demand for New Construction
Traffic for new
construction homes has increased significantly on
Zillow4, up 82% in the third quarter of 2020 compared to
the same quarter a year ago, signaling an increasing number of
shoppers interested in personalizing their home's features and
living in a new, clean space. A 2020 Zillow survey
found5 more than a quarter of buyers who bought a new
construction home did so to customize home features, while 37%
chose new construction because everything in the home was new and
never used.
About Zillow Group:
Zillow Group,
Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make it
easier to unlock life's next chapter.
As the most-visited real estate website in the U.S.,
Zillow® and its affiliates offer customers an on-demand experience
for selling, buying, renting or financing with transparency and
nearly seamless end-to-end service. Zillow Offers® buys and sells
homes directly in dozens of markets across the country, allowing
sellers control over their timeline. Zillow Home Loans™, our
affiliate lender, provides our customers with an easy option to get
pre-approved and secure financing for their next home purchase.
Zillow recently launched Zillow Homes, Inc., a licensed brokerage
entity, to streamline Zillow Offers
transactions.
Zillow Group's affiliates and subsidiaries include
Zillow®, Zillow Offers®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans™,
Zillow Closing Services™, Zillow Homes, Inc., Trulia®, Out East®,
StreetEasy® and HotPads®. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal
Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).
1 This survey was conducted online within
the United States by The Harris
Poll on behalf of Zillow from May
4-6, 2020 among 2,065 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This
online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no
estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For
complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and
subgroup sample sizes, please contact press@zillow.com.
2 See Footnote (1)
3 Rental Listings Mentioning "Pet-Friendly" on
Zillow as of November 2020
4 New Construction page views on Zillow are
measured with Google Analytics
5 Zillow Group Population Science partnered with
independent market research and data analytics firm YouGov® to
conduct a nationally representative, online quantitative survey of
3000 buyers, 3000 sellers, 3000 renters that moved in the past
year, and 3000 homeowners. The self-administered study was fielded
between March 31 and April 21, 2020.
A supplemental survey of new construction buyers was fielded
between April 21 and May 5, 2020 to
achieve a total sample of 1000 new construction buyers.
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SOURCE Zillow