The COVID-19 pandemic transformed our homes into one-stop shops for all the things we’d normally go out for, including offices, schools, gyms, restaurants, and more.
Why it matters: Numerous medical, economic, and psychological studies have demonstrated how the pandemic has altered our behaviors for the long term – including what buyers want from their living spaces.
Here’s an in-depth look at five ways the pandemic has impacted homebuyer preferences in terms of design, safety, and functionality.
1. Home Offices are Hot Commodities
Countless studies have confirmed that hybrid working, remote working, telecommuting - whatever your workplace calls it - is here to stay.
About 51 percent of the workforce worked from home in 2024
Pre-pandemic, that figure was only 33 percent, and only 13 percent were full-time
Numerous studies and polls have confirmed over the post-pandemic years: Homeowners want a dedicated office space.
While remote workers have found innovative ways to incorporate makeshift offices – on kitchen tables, in hallways, in spare rooms, and even in closets – a desire for office space is a primary reason Americans are looking for new homes.
But what does the ideal home office look like? While that’s ultimately up to personal preference, consider spaces that are:
Separate from the primary bedroom
Upstairs
Toward the back of the home
Away from busy, noisy living rooms
According to ScienceDirect and the National Library of Medicine, a scientifically productive office has:
Good sound isolation
Large windows with plenty of natural light
Comfortable furniture
Plenty of outlets
Ergonomic seating
The latest technology
2. Buyers Want Healthy Homes
For most around the world, 2020 was about quarantining at home, washing hands more, and masking up to prevent the spread of disease.
Five years later, researchers have found that homeowners are still prioritizing health in their home design, requiring:
At least one room with an ensuite bathroom, for safe and comfortable quarantining
Storage space for water, pantry goods, and other essentials
An entrance to the home separated from main living areas
Windows for ventilation and natural light
Some of these features offer additional benefits. One study, for example, found natural light and a view helped with relaxation, reducing fatigue, and boosting focus, mood and productivity.
3. Outdoor Space is a Need, not a Perk
If the pandemic taught homeowners anything, it’s that access to private outdoor space is a necessity. In 2020 and beyond, our patios and backyards became sanctuaries for sunbathing, working out, responding to emails with some fresh air, eating dinner al fresco, and tending to our hobbies, a study found.
Today, outdoor spaces remain important to homeowners – it’s second only to cost when it comes to homebuyers’ priorities.
Additionally, kitchens that lead to private outdoor spaces, such as covered porches or decks, have been linked to better mental health and lower rates of depression, according to one study.
4. Flexible Living Rooms Rule All
Homeowners ranked the family room the new “heart of the home,” with each generation viewing the space differently. Millennials saw it as a bustling meeting point for the family; baby boomers say it was the ultimate space to relax.
Report after report has highlighted how much families value open-concept spaces that can shapeshift to their needs.
Stemming from the days of lockdown, families want a living space large enough to accommodate:
Different family member ages
Various life stages
Daily activities
It should be big enough for social distancing, but can be adapted by adding sliding doors, partitions or furniture to carve out dedicated spaces.
5. A Seamless, Sanitary Kitchen Experience
Over three America at Home Study waves across several years, architects collected consumer insights to better understand how families’ preferences about the home were changing as the pandemic waned on. Four prominent kitchen trends came to light:
More – and extended – storage space
A better-equipped kitchen
Germ-resistant countertops and flooring
Motion-sensor taps and switches
Builders are responding: industry insights show builders are incorporating ceiling-height cabinets, building larger pantries with shelving, and creating storage within the kitchen island. They’re also incorporating materials that are antimicrobial and bacteria resistant.
They’re also carving out space for full-depth refrigerators, double bowl stainless steel sinks, and dishwashers and washing machines with sanitation settings built-in.
