Features Homebuyers Want in Their Next Home

It may be cold outside, but some buyers are dreaming of those summer nights in the backyard.

Porch.com surveyed nearly 1,000 homebuyers about what they want in a home – and the biggest wanted feature was a back porch or deck, according to 33.9%. This was the top answer among baby boomers, Generation X members and millennials, showing age doesn’t impact the desire to be outdoors. Other popular features across generations included a newly renovated kitchen, according to 30.8%, and hardwood flooring, said 30.4%.

However, they say money talks. And homebuyers are willing to shell out more for certain features. A newly renovated kitchen will net, on average, $4,570 over budget for most homebuyers, followed by a finished basement at $4,506. An open floor plan, which 16% of people said they chose their home for, averages $4,243 over budget for buyers, while newly renovated bathrooms are good for $3,549 over budget. Men were more likely than women to shell out for a newly renovated kitchen, while women were more likely to splurge on a finished basement. Surprisingly, most homebuyers were under their budget when buying their last home by $12,000. Millennials, especially, kept under budget, at nearly $16,000.

When it comes to couples though, there are features that they both want – and both disagree over. The top features couples disagreed on are a wood-burning fireplace, an in-ground pool and hardwood flooring. On the other hand, most couples were in sync with their opinions on energy-efficient appliances, newly renovated bedrooms and newly renovated bathrooms. Nearly 25% of respondents said their significant other does not have all of their desired features in their home.