{"id":20358,"date":"2021-02-09T15:07:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T20:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/?p=20358"},"modified":"2022-02-10T09:33:24","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T14:33:24","slug":"homebuyers-search-for-the-ideal-home-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/homebuyers-search-for-the-ideal-home-in-2021","title":{"rendered":"Homebuyers Search for the Ideal Home in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

There\u2019s no denying it: COVID changed everything, but that didn’t keep buyers from actively shopping for a home over the last year. Despite health restrictions and economic difficulties imposed by the pandemic, home buyers pushed to find a property to call their own. What did change were the features that men and women considered top-of-the-list for their ideal home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the Zolo: Home Buyers Survey 2021<\/strong>, we asked 1,369 home shoppers about their needs and wants in a home and how these desires have shifted in a post-pandemic world. The results were surprising \u2014 and highlighted the differences men and women have when prioritizing their dream home features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related content<\/p>

The Ideal Home: Features Men and Women Homebuyers Want Most in 2022 <\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\n\n\n

What Features Do Home Buyers Want Most?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2021, the features homebuyers wanted most did not include an updated kitchen or an open-concept floor plan \u2014 listing highlights often included in home sale descriptions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That doesn’t mean an updated kitchen isn’t desirable \u2014 66% of home shoppers considered this a vital feature; it’s just that other needs took priority. Not surprisingly, the features that helped address the need for social distancing during gatherings, as imposed by COVID-19 protocols, topped the must-have home buying want list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, the top four features home buyers want in 2021 are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Main floor bathroom (71%)<\/li>
  2. Garage (70%)<\/li>
  3. Master bedroom with en suite (68%)<\/li>
  4. Private outdoor space (68%)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    It appears that a main floor bathroom and a garage help homeowners to enter and exit their home while maintaining safe health protocols (such as creating an isolated or decontamination area). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The desire for a master bedroom en suite and access to private outdoor space highlights the greater level of importance our homes now play as part of our work, entertainment, and home life. A master ensuite provides privacy to the primary homeowner, while private outdoor space offers a controlled environment where people can gather safely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It’s not that these features didn’t rank high in prior years, but greater privacy and access to safe outdoor space appear more important, given pandemic restrictions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    The responses from these home shoppers represent a shift towards more dedicated living spaces, both inside and outside of the home, along with money-saving upgrades that can improve livability and lower the cost of living, at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Differences: The Features Men and Women Home Buyers Want in a Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Trends show that more people made the decision to live with a significant other in 2020, compared to 2019.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Related content<\/p>

    Read the 2019 survey results in “What Men and Women Want in a Home”<\/a> <\/p><\/section>\n\n\n\n

    Given lockdown restrictions, choosing to live together is one of the easiest ways to guarantee that the one you love is in your COVID-19 “safe bubble.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Men and women appear to agree on some of the most desirable home features but preferences start to differ once these short-listed items are met. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For instance, when shopping for a home that already includes a garage, a main floor bathroom, and a master bedroom with en suite, women then focus on whether or not a home has:<\/p>\n\n\n\n