Every homebuyer has a list of priorities in mind when searching for a house, whether it’s a specific count of bedrooms or a fully outfitted chef’s kitchen. But just like fashion and style trends, certain home features go in and out of vogue.
When it comes to attracting buyers in 2024, you need to have something special, literally. Buyers are tired of white-box houses and monochrome interiors; they want something unique. Attracting a homebuyer in today’s market is less about having what everyone else has and more about playing up what makes your home different from all the rest.
Character over calculated design
A home’s quirks may be the very elements that capture a buyer’s interest in 2024. In today’s market, people want homes with character and attention to detail; they don’t want a home that looks like every other house on the block.
“Unique design features [such as] a midcentury brick fireplace, retro lighting fixtures or an incredibly unique room in the house really have been drawing in buyers to a home,” says Arthur Greenstein, a broker associate at Douglas Elliman Real Estate. He notes specific elements like ceiling details (such as beams, crown molding and oak paneling) are top of mind. Mixed styles — think traditional elements paired with contemporary updates — can also entice. “People are tired of the big, white-box-style homes and are going back to more traditional or transitional styles,” he says.
Home as a haven
Health and wellness are taking priority with buyers, as they have a renewed understanding that the state of one’s home can significantly impact one’s health. “A big trend we’re seeing is systems for health — water-purification systems and more robust air filtration, especially,” says Diane DuVall, a global real estate advisor at Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty. Additionally, spaces designated for fitness or relaxation are an added draw. On the luxury end of the real estate market, buyers are also looking for home spas, wellness rooms, saunas and even plunge pools.
Smart square footage
“I would tell potential sellers that buyers are trending toward comfortable and quaint design,” says Greenstein. “Where open floor plans used to be king, today more defined spaces, such as offices, dining rooms and separate play rooms, are making more sense to buyers who have become more modest in their home selections.”
Home offices, which were a top priority during the pandemic, remain a coveted space at many price points. DuVall says that almost every home above the $1.5 million price point has a dedicated home office, typically converted from a spare bedroom. “The home office is here to stay,” she says. “Buyers absolutely want one — or two, if there is more than one income-earner in the house — because the hybrid work schedule is also here to stay.”
Sculleries for kitchen overflow
Buyers don’t just want beautiful kitchens or dedicated laundry rooms nowadays; they also want sculleries (or working pantries). Where a butler’s pantry typically connects a kitchen and dining room and is used for serving food and storing dishes or serveware, a scullery is located off of the kitchen and is a more utilitarian space. Think of it like a laundry, pantry, utility room hybrid. It’s an overflow from the kitchen which may have a sink, laundry equipment and storage and is typically used to manage household tasks. “Working pantries or ‘scullery kitchens’ are constantly at the top of buyers’ lists,” says Greenstein, noting that many people use them to store blenders, mixers, toasters and other appliances. “People love how it completely declutters a kitchen.”
Gray be gone
An all-gray interior runs the risk of embodying the now-disdained “millennial gray” decorating phenomenon, which refers to the generation’s propensity to decorate entirely in the cool-toned monochrome. “I have noticed that buyers are beginning to shy away from gray tones and are more inclined toward warm, natural, earthy tones such as browns, beiges, taupe, khaki, olive, moss and brass,” Greenstein says.
Smart-home expectations
Preference for smart-home tools varies greatly across price points. Certain features are considered baseline, like smart thermostats and home security systems. For the average buyer, smart-home features are nice to have — but they won’t be the determining factor in whether that buyer makes an offer, Greenstein says. At the luxury level, however, DuVall notes that buyers expect features, especially ones that can be controlled from a phone; brands such as Control4, Lutron, Crestron, Savant and Nice are some of the most common.
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