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2025 Home Trends - What Buyers Want
Features such as whole-home batteries and EV chargers will coexist with cozy home libraries, vintage fixtures and 19th-century sculleries.
New technology, old-world style: Zillow reveals 2025's home trends
Zillow® is unveiling its data-driven predictions for the trends that will define our homes in the new year. In 2025, homeowners and buyers will blend the latest technology with nostalgic, old-world charm to create comfortable, sustainable and climate-resilient homes. That means features such as whole-home batteries and EV chargers will coexist with cozy home libraries, vintage fixtures and 19th-century sculleries.
Zillow identified five emerging trends by looking at hundreds of home features and design styles mentioned in millions of for-sale listings in 2024, then identified the keywords showing up far more frequently than a year ago. When certain features appear in a rising share of listings, it's a signal that they are in demand and desirable to a buyer. Real estate agents are uniquely attuned to what buyers want, and savvy agents will highlight those features when marketing a home for sale.
2025 Zillow Home Buying Trends Infographic by InteriorStylist.org
interiorstylist.org
Electric features: Today's home buyers are looking to live their values, seeking out homes with sustainable and environmentally friendly features. Mentions of whole-home batteries have surged by 62% since last year, the fastest-growing feature in this year's analysis. Whole-home batteries store excess energy from solar panels, acting as a generator during a power outage or when the sun isn't shining. Solar panels are appearing 18% more often in for-sale listings on Zillow, as are the terms "sustainable" and "green."
It's not just solar power. Electric vehicle (EV) chargers are appearing in 34% more for-sale listings on Zillow today than a year ago. And electric ranges are gaining traction, too. Mentions of induction cooktops are up 5%.
Cozy vibes: The term "cozy" is no longer a negative real estate euphemism — it's a sought-after design trait. Listings mentioning "cozy" have increased by 35% compared to last year. Yes, home buyers are embracing smaller, cozier spaces for affordability and sustainability, and rejecting the cavernous open floor plans and pandemic-era need for more and more space. The great room has been replaced by smaller, cozier, color-saturated rooms that serve a specific purpose, such as dens and dining rooms.
Cozy living spaces are replacing the cavernous great room
(Photo: Julea Joseph).
Old-world comeback: Move over, Grand Millennial style. 2025 is set to go full granny, with floral patterns, tapestries, antique furnishings and chintz making a strong return. Nostalgia is a growing trend, appearing in 14% more listings than in 2023, while "vintage" mentions are up by 9%. Additionally, bibliophilic decor and home libraries are on the rise, showing up 22% more frequently in listings on Zillow. The Victorian-era scullery is also making a 21st-century comeback. This second kitchen, or back kitchen, where entertainers can hide the dirty work of meal prep and cleanup, is appearing in 8% more listings today than a year ago.
The Victorian-era scullery is making a 21st-century comback
(Photo: Jason House & Home)
Climate resiliency: With climate-related disasters becoming more frequent, sellers are highlighting features that offer some degree of protection, and buyers are seeking them out. Zillow research finds that 86% of recent home buyers say it's very important that a home have at least one climate-resilient feature.
The share of for-sale listings on Zillow that mention flood barriers is up 22% compared to last year, seismic retrofitting is up 20%, and references to water catchment systems are up 19%. Drought-resistant turf yards are showing up 14% more often compared to a year ago.
Spa-inspired wet rooms: This luxurious design element, most often found in high-end hotels, is the latest spa-inspired upgrade to start showing up in homes. A wet room combines the shower and bathtub into one waterproof space without the usual shower curb or enclosure. Wet rooms are being featured 19% more often in listings on Zillow.
A wet room combines the shower and bathtub into one waterproof space.
(Photo: GETTY images)
This 2025 bathroom trend is part of a growing emphasis on wellness design. As buyers become increasingly attuned to the ways their home impacts their physical and mental well-being, the share of for-sale listings that mention wellness features is up 16% compared to last year.
ARTICLE REPRINTED : SOURCE Zillow Group, Inc.
Why Empty Homes Don't Sell
An empty home leaves an empty canvas to paint negative thoughts on – Prospective buyers will find imperfections and not interested or wanted features. An empty home amplifies negative thoughts.
Every morning on my Chicago area social media feed, I see acres and acres of empty rooms posted by Realtors. So many empty dining rooms, breakfast rooms, kitchens, living and bedrooms. Do I stop and click on the photo, intrigued to have a look at the room, the house, the property? No, I just scroll on by... Do I read the eloquently written description? Do I appreciate the professional photography? No, I just scroll on by... Why? It's that they all look the same; devoid of any senses, any flavor, any style.
WHY?
#1. An empty home leaves an empty canvas to paint negative thoughts on – Prospective buyers will find imperfections and not interested or wanted features. An empty home amplifies negative thoughts.
#2. Empty homes lack a vision of its layout (What is this room?) A Staged homes explain how the home flows and how each space can be used.
#3. An empty home is void of imagination and feeling. People buy homes on emotion. An empty property is just a HOUSE, a staged property becomes a HOME. Home Staging creates the emotion that your prospective buyers envisioned.
#4. The National Association of REALTORS 2015 Profile on Home Staging found that 81% of buyers find it is easier to visualize a property as a future home when it's Staged.
“A staged home may seem like it has furniture that’s fixed in place; but what is going on in the buyer’s mind is a very kinetic process. With a home that is staged, they see a family - celebrating home.”
Does House Staging Work - YES it Does! -NAR 2015 Profile of Home Staging Report
2015 Home Staging Report by National Association of REALTORS
The spring housing market has just started and there is good news when is comes to Realtors knowing that HOME STAGING services are an important factor in showcasing a home.
The National Association of REALTORS, NAR recently released a report about Home Staging. The report, 2015 Profile of Home Staging surveys both seller and buyer's agents about the effectiveness of the Home Staging process. The 1st of its kind, the report shows that Realtors see the value of the art and marketing of Home Staging. 96% of Buyer's agents said that Home Staging has an effect of how a buyer views the home.
The NAR's Infographic below is a summary some of the key statistics gathered from the survey.
Whether your are a home seller or REALTOR, home staging is an essential factor when selling the most expensive investment a homeowner has ever made.
For Chicago area Realtors interested in receiving more education on Home Staging, Mainstreet Organization of Realtors offers a Home Staging course for Realtors. The Certified Staging Consultant (CSC) Course - is not only an IAR C.E., but also a MORe Certification. The course is very popular and is now offered at all 4 of MORE's Chicagoland offices. The course too can be hosted off-site by an office or brokerage. For more information, visit my site's Home Staging Education page or call 708.448.7500.
Also, few more past posts on Home Staging.
The Often Forgotten Pre-Photo Shoot Styling
10 Home Staging Tips to Make Your Listing Look Like a Model Home
Staging Tips: Styling for the Photo Shoot
Home Stagers are experts in styling homes for photo shoots. In a few hours, we can whip and flip a home into a stunner. Your on-line photos are the #1 advertising element of your for sale home.
You have worked tirelessly preparing your home for sale. Don’t let all your hard work fall short with the often forgotten, most overlooked step in a great home staging – The Pre-Photo Shoot Styling. Before those photos are taken, your home needs one last interior makeover before making its grand debut on the internet. I often compare it to going to the hair salon before a big event, getting a great color, cut and style, only to go home and wash it. Don’t stop short right before you publicly introduce your home to potential buyers by not making it perfectly groomed for its Internet close-up.
Home Stagers are experts in styling homes for photo shoots. In a few hours, we can whip and flip a home into a stunner. Your on-line photos are the #1 advertising element of your for sale home.
Here are a few of our tips and techniques.
-Remove all scatter rugs from floors. Have cleared counters and make the space extra inviting with a bowl, vase or pot of something fresh.
HOME STAGING TIP: Room look bigger and spacious in photos without rugs or counter clutter breaking up the room's lines or distracting the eye.
-Set a spectacular bed. Perfectly tucked, primped and pampered - the bed is the trophy of every bedroom.
HOME STAGING TIP: Create added interest on a bed with a colorful accent pillows and textural throws.
-Every bath needs fresh, clean, fluffy towels, a seat down, glistening surfaces, and not a personal product present.
HOME STAGING TIP: Nothing says fresh and super clean than a stack of fluffy white towels.
-Light it right. Showcase rooms and the home by making sure the space is lit well by turning on light, opening shades and pulling back drapes.
HOME STAGING TIP: Photograph the home at the time of day that allows just the right light in.
Getting your house ready for the market? Squeeze the most equity out of it by utilizing our design to sell -Home Staging services. From pre-photo styling to giving sage update advice when just starting - we help capture a home’s equity that would otherwise be overlooked.
BUDGET Home Staging Ideas - A Bedroom with 5 Easy Pieces!
Stage an empty bedroom with 5 easy pieces!
Home Staging ideas - Stage a bedroom with five pieces.
Do you have a need to create, stage & style a bedroom in an empty room? Think you need to go out a buy and lug in heavy furniture? Think again. Today's home staging & styling job was for a client that enlisted me to to do a budget bedroom staging. Here's how I did it.
- The bed is the focal point of a room, so start here. My client owns this great air bed that basically is a rolling suitcase and you unzip, plug in and within minutes POOF turns into a queen size bed. Frontgate has a few to choose from.
- Head Board. The head board are 2 plastic decorative fencing panels from Home Depot. I know, I know, super clever, weigh nothing and you can attach them to the wall with a nail. Instant headboard. Acurio Panels from Home Depot.
- Bedding. A bed should be lush & lovely. Chic bedding, fluffy pillows, cute accent pillows -and always throw a throw at the end of the bed for a bit of interest and texture. I found this great microfiber duvet set (almost no-iron) at HomeGoods and bird accent pillow from Michaels. (had the shell pillow and throw in my staging stock pile.)
- The Night stand is a butler tray table. A butler tray is meant to be mobile, so easy open and close. This is a great what I call "Good Bones" piece of furniture. The tray comes off and the base just folds up. I found a close one on Amazon: Crosley Palm Harbor Outdoor Wicker Butler Tray
- Lamp. Just make sure is substantial enough to work with the scale of the bed.
Accents pillows add detail and ambiance to a bed.