{"id":17329,"date":"2025-12-25T04:19:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T12:19:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=17329"},"modified":"2026-01-02T19:24:50","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T03:24:50","slug":"what-buyers-want-in-a-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/","title":{"rendered":"What Buyers Want in a Home: Top Must-Haves in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In this age of social media, smartphones, and AI algorithms, there is no shortage of information on how you should remodel or upgrade your home to increase its value. But you only have so much time and money, and if you\u2019re looking to sell your home in the future, you need to know what buyers want in a home.<\/p>\n<p>The fact remains that there\u2019s only one opinion that matters: The buyer\u2019s.<\/p>\n<h2>What do buyers want in a home?<\/h2>\n<p>HomeLight partners with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/\">top-performing real estate agents<\/a> in the country. We regularly survey our network of 28,000 agents, asking them for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-top-agent-insights-hub\/\">expert insights<\/a> that can help buyers and sellers make informed decisions.<\/p>\n<p>The list below will help you gain a better idea of what buyers want in a home.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--1\" data-toc-header=\"Affordability\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h3>Affordability<\/h3>\n<p>The 2026 housing market is being shaped by a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/events\/nar-real-estate-forecast-summit\">rise in new listings<\/a>, home sales, and home prices. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) also forecasts mortgage rates to drop to 6%.<\/p>\n<p>A recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-top-agent-insights-for-q3-2025\/\">HomeLight survey<\/a> of top real estate agents revealed the increasing emphasis that homebuyers are placing on affordability. For example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">58% report buyers want closing cost credit from sellers<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">20% recommend that sellers reduce the price based on home inspection findings<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">7% say buyers are looking for seller-paid interest rate buydowns<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">6% say buyers want post-closing repair credits<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A 5.75% mortgage rate is the tipping point to get would-be buyers off the fence<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">23% recommend bridge loans to help sellers buy before they sell<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"section--2\" data-toc-header=\"Kitchen updates\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h3>Game-changing kitchen updates<\/h3>\n<p>In HomeLight\u2019s most recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-top-agent-insights-for-q3-2025\/\">Top Agent Insights survey<\/a>, 17% of agents say minor kitchen updates give the highest return on investment in terms of helping a home sell at a higher price.<\/p>\n<p>If your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/kitchen-trends\/\">kitchen<\/a> or appliances don\u2019t appeal to a buyer, your chances of selling your home quickly or for top dollar can dramatically decrease.<\/p>\n<p>Top Houston real estate agent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/clarence-smith-tx-0637560\">Clarence Smith<\/a>, who sells properties 50% faster than the average agent in his market, says one way to upgrade your kitchen is by installing granite or quartz countertops \u2014 if you don\u2019t already have them. \u201cIt changes the whole complexion of the kitchen when we go with the granite countertops, and we have the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.build.com\/product\/summary\/1654414?uid=3916046&amp;inv2=1&amp;source=gg_%21c291398532%21a1274334105189949%21k%21me%21p%21dc%21ns%21f&amp;msclkid=cf84ce1a72f415dd7608acf3f4cd23c5&amp;gclsrc=ds&amp;gclsrc=ds\"> under-mount sink<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jrlinteriors.com\/about-us\">Janet Lorusso<\/a>, a professional interior designer with over 30 years of experience, agrees. \u201cQuartz is a nice alternative to get the marble look without the maintenance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Granite countertops vary between about $40 per square foot for lower-grade granite and $100 per square foot for higher-grade granite, plus installation costs. The national average to purchase and install granite countertops is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeadvisor.com\/cost\/cabinets-and-countertops\/install-granite-countertops\/\">$3,250<\/a>, according to HomeAdvisor \u2014 a small price to pay compared to a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-much-to-remodel-a-kitchen\/\"> full kitchen remodel<\/a>, which stacks up to an average of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.angi.com\/articles\/how-much-should-kitchen-remodel-cost.htm\">$26,968<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--3\" data-toc-header=\"Improved curb appeal\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h3>Improved curb appeal<\/h3>\n<p>To attract more buyers and higher offers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-top-agent-insights-for-q3-2025\/\">7% of agents<\/a> recommend that sellers improve landscaping and curb appeal.<\/p>\n<p>Smith says<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/sunroom-costs\/\"> covered back patios<\/a> are particularly popular among buyers these days, \u201cbecause a lot of people like to sit out there, drink coffee, get a little of the sunset, then if there\u2019s a great backyard they like to watch the kids out there play, and they still have an area that\u2019s covered to keep them out of the sun.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Backyard decks and highly usable front porch areas have gained popularity in recent years, especially since the pandemic. On average, you can build a deck for around <a href=\"https:\/\/homeguide.com\/costs\/cost-to-build-a-deck\">$3,600 to $7,200<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-66012\" src=\"https:\/\/hl-blog.homelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1781\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-scaled.jpg 1781w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-768x1104.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-1068x1536.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-1425x2048.jpg 1425w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-64x92.jpg 64w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-128x184.jpg 128w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-192x276.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-432x621.jpg 432w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-1920x2760.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-775x1114.jpg 775w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-348x500.jpg 348w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/What-Buyers-Want-in-a-Home-1-556x800.jpg 556w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1781px) 100vw, 1781px\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"section--4\" data-toc-header=\"Turnkey homes\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h3>Move-in-ready homes<\/h3>\n<p>An overwhelming 76% of agents say the biggest selling point for buyers in today\u2019s market is a home in move-in-ready condition.<\/p>\n<p>Updates that make the home look like a model home can earn you top dollar, shares <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/delaine-campbell-md-114055\">Delaine Campbell<\/a>, a top agent in Alexandria, Virginia, with 20 years of experience. \u201cIf a seller is not willing to do that, then they can expect lower showings, possibly no offers, and possibly lowering the price. Buyers want move-in ready homes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Small but critical repairs return <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-top-agent-insights-for-q3-2025\/\">$6,208<\/a> at resale, according to HomeLight\u2019s research.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--5\" data-toc-header=\"Freshly-painted surfaces\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h3>Freshly painted surfaces<\/h3>\n<p>In HomeLight\u2019s recent survey, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-top-agent-insights-for-end-of-year-2024\/\">30% of agents say<\/a> painting has the highest return on investment when it comes to helping a house sell for a higher price.<\/p>\n<p>Lorusso says painting is an easy and inexpensive upgrade, particularly to the kitchen cabinets. \u201cPaint hides a multitude \u2014 from the ubiquitous dated honey oak that builders dumped in every home in the late 20th century, to fussy glazed finishes.\u201d A fresh coat of paint can return an average of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/real-estate-top-agent-insights-for-q3-2025\/\">$12,130<\/a>, according to HomeLight\u2019s survey.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to painting the house, focus on areas that need a touch-up. According to top agents, repainting the entire home, even if the paint is still in relatively good condition, does not give the same return on investment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What do buyers want in a home? From Kitchen updates to outdoor amenities, here are some of the most sought-after items for homebuyers in 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":39408,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[320,333],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-add-value","category-increase-value"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Buyers Want in a Home: Top Must-Haves in 2026<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From kitchen updates to closing credits, here are some of the most sought-after features for homebuyers in 2026.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Buyers Want in a Home: Top Must-Haves in 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From kitchen updates to closing credits, here are some of the most sought-after features for homebuyers in 2026.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-25T12:19:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-03T03:24:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/hl-blog.homelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home-.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"563\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Richard Haddad\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Richard Haddad\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Buyers Want in a Home: Top Must-Haves in 2026","description":"From kitchen updates to closing credits, here are some of the most sought-after features for homebuyers in 2026.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Buyers Want in a Home: Top Must-Haves in 2026","og_description":"From kitchen updates to closing credits, here are some of the most sought-after features for homebuyers in 2026.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/","og_site_name":"HomeLight Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","article_published_time":"2025-12-25T12:19:52+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-03T03:24:50+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":563,"url":"https:\/\/hl-blog.homelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home-.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Richard Haddad","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@gohomelight","twitter_site":"@gohomelight","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Richard Haddad","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/"},"author":{"name":"Richard Haddad","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/7d7103b037dcb5e844946ec92b02a128"},"headline":"What Buyers Want in a Home: Top Must-Haves in 2026","datePublished":"2025-12-25T12:19:52+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-03T03:24:50+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/"},"wordCount":801,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home-.png","articleSection":["Add Value","Ways to Increase Your Property Value"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/","name":"What Buyers Want in a Home: Top Must-Haves in 2026","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home-.png","datePublished":"2025-12-25T12:19:52+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-03T03:24:50+00:00","description":"From kitchen updates to closing credits, here are some of the most sought-after features for homebuyers in 2026.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home-.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home-.png","width":1000,"height":563,"caption":"Source: (Mike \/ Pexels)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-buyers-want-in-a-home\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Buyers Want in a Home: Top Must-Haves in 2026"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","name":"HomeLight Blog","description":"Real Estate Advice from America&#039;s Top Agents","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"HomeLight","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","width":1348,"height":262,"caption":"HomeLight"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","https:\/\/x.com\/gohomelight","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/homelight\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCimugR9XF17-OZ7B9fNnxWw","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HomeLight"],"description":"Everything you need to know to sell your house faster and for more money. Articles, guides, and advice from top agents all over the U.S.","email":"support@homelight.com","telephone":"(888) 688-0350","legalName":"HomeLight","foundingDate":"2012-01-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"201","maxValue":"500"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/7d7103b037dcb5e844946ec92b02a128","name":"Richard Haddad","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fbb89d16f303ea1de47fd69852400830b4a663ea6dbb4eecafbea5c1403da721?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fbb89d16f303ea1de47fd69852400830b4a663ea6dbb4eecafbea5c1403da721?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Richard Haddad"},"description":"Richard Haddad is the executive editor of HomeLight.com. He works with an experienced content team that oversees the company\u2019s blog featuring in-depth articles about the home buying and selling process, homeownership news, home care and design tips, and related real estate trends. Previously, he served as an editor and content producer for World Company, Gannett, and Western News &amp; Info, where he also served as news director and director of internet operations.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.homelight.com","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/richard-w-haddad"],"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/author\/richardhaddad\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/298"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17329\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}