Realtor.com® Identifies the Hottest Home Trends of 2025

New analysis of millions of listings spotlights the surge in sustainable and tech-forward home features In a year defined by AI innovation and shifting energy priorities, U.S. homeowners are responding in their own way—by rethinking how their homes use power, water, and natural light. Realtor.com®’s new 2025 Hottest Home Trends Report found that efficiency, sustainability, and nature-inspired design are on the rise, while more opulent or space-heavy features are losing ground—highlighting a clear shift in how Americans define comfort and value. According to the analysis, WaterSense Fixtures—which reduce water use by at least 20%—topped the list with a 289.6% year-over-year increase in mentions within listing descriptions. Homes featuring this certification carried a median listing price of about $628,000, underscoring their appeal in mid- to upper-tier markets. Net-Zero Ready homes (+198%) and EV Charging features (+175%) also surged, reflecting rising consumer interest in lowering utility costs and preparing for an all-electric future. “We’re seeing homeowners prioritize features that make their properties more efficient, resilient, and self-sustaining,” said Anthony Smith, Senior Economist at Realtor.com®. “Buyers increasingly view eco-friendly upgrades as both a lifestyle choice and a smart financial investment—especially as energy costs and climate concerns become part of everyday decision-making.” Bringing Nature Indoors The second-fastest-growing feature in 2025 was biophilic/indoor-outdoor design, up 163% year-over-year. These listings showcase expansive glass doors, interior courtyards, and living walls—architectural elements that dissolve boundaries between indoors and outdoors. The trend reflects a growing desire to bring natural light, plants, and organic materials into daily living spaces. The median list price for homes with these features was $859,000 underscoring their appeal to higher end and luxury buyers. Another top 10 trend, outdoor low-voltage lighting, which rose 91%, supports the theme of mindful design—integrating sustainability and aesthetics while extending living spaces beyond the home’s walls. Smarter, More Connected Homes Technology also remains a key part of home evolution. Features like Built-In Coffee Systems, Smart Lighting Scenes, and Hardwired Ethernet/Cat6 ranked among the top 15 fastest-growing trends, highlighting the lasting influence of hybrid work and digital lifestyles. Reliable connectivity and automation are now as much selling points as square footage. “A decade ago, buyers might have asked about open floor plans or granite counters,” Smith added. “Today, they’re looking for EV chargers, high-speed wiring, and homes that can adapt. The definition of what makes a home modern has completely evolved.” The Fastest Growing Trends (The table below highlights the 30 fastest-rising home features of the past year, ranked by how much more often they appeared in listing descriptions compared with 2024.) Rank Feature % Change in Listing Mentions (YoY) Current Prevalence Median Listing Price 1 WaterSense Fixtures 289.6% Rare $627,740 2 Biophilic / Indoor-Outdoor 162.6% Widespread $858,999 3 Coastal Modern 125.6% Occasional $1,275,000 4 Net-Zero Ready 100.0% Rare $449,700 5 EV Charging 91.6% Widespread $839,000 6 Outdoor Low-Voltage Lighting 91.1% Rare $849,900 7 Home Gym 91.0% Widespread $599,000 8 City Skyline Views 86.9% Occasional $874,900 9 Aged Metal Accents 79.8% Rare $1,700,000 10 Built-In Coffee System 72.2% Occasional $916,778 11 Smart Lighting Scenes 70.1% Occasional $685,000 12 Zellige Tile 68.0% Occasional $1,079,000 13 Hardwired Ethernet / Cat6 66.3% Occasional $497,340 14 Two-Tone Cabinetry 66.2% Occasional $589,000 15 Pickleball Court 65.9% Widespread $575,000 16 220V Shop Outlets 64.1% Occasional $634,900 17 Tadelakt / Lime Plaster 63.7% Rare $959,500 18 Gas Range with Griddle 62.8% Occasional $1,350,000 19 Soundproofing / Acoustic Panels 62.1% Occasional $825,000 20 Cold Plunge 61.6% Occasional $1,795,000 21 Solar + Battery Backup 61.2% Common $699,900 22 Fully Fenced Yard 61.2% Widespread $385,000 23 ERV / HRV Ventilation 58.3% Rare $780,835 24 Motorized Shades 56.6% Common $999,000 25 Home Office / Zoom Room 56.5% Widespread $514,990 26 Maximalist Interiors 54.8% Rare $531,450 27 Folding Station / Drying Rack 53.8% Occasional $645,000 28 Pickleball / Sport Court 52.0% Widespread $594,995 29 Custom Built-Ins 51.8% Widespread $679,999 30 Backlit Onyx / Stone 50.9% Rare $3,349,000 Familiar Favorites While the fastest-growing features highlight new priorities, some classics remain in demand. Home office/Zoom rooms jumped 56.5%, and fully fenced yards and finished walkout basements continue to be among the most widely mentioned, reinforcing how remote work and multifunctional living continue to shape buyer preferences. Fading Fashions By contrast, formal dining rooms with built-ins (-25.3%), infinity-edge pools (-24.7%), and three-car garages (-19.1%) all saw notable declines, as buyers favor modern, natural, and right-sized design choices over ornate or oversized spaces. The data suggests that overtly opulent features are giving way to simplicity and function. The Most Common Features (The table below highlights the 10 most common home features of the past year, ranked by current prevalence in listing mentions.) Rank Features % Change in Listing Mentions (YoY) Current Prevalence Median Listing Price 1 Hot Tub / Spa 1.2% Widespread $475,000 2 Home Office / Zoom Room 56.5% Widespread $514,990 3 Vaulted / Cathedral Ceilings 8.2% Widespread $525,000 4 Finished Walkout Basement 21.4% Widespread $499,900 5 Covered Patio / Loggia 14.2% Widespread $486,000 6 Great Room Concept 6.3% Widespread $579,900 7 Fully Fenced Yard 61.2% Widespread $385,000 8 Freestanding Soaking Tub 36.3% Widespread $649,900 9 Cul-de-Sac Lot 13.9% Widespread $545,000 10 Luxury Vinyl Plank 26.5% Widespread $399,900 Features with the largest year over year decline (The table below highlights the 10 home features which saw the biggest year over year decline)  Rank Features % Change in Listing Mentions (YoY) Current Prevalence Median Listing Price 1 House Numbers / Modern Address -34.6% Rare $290,500 2 Formal Dining with Built-Ins -25.3% Occasional $499,000 3 Infinity-Edge Pool -24.7% Occasional $2,895,000 4 Three-Car Garage -19.1% Widespread $672,997 5 Old-World European -18.4% Common $612,400 6 Tongue-and-Groove Ceilings -17.5% Common $675,000 7 Curbless Walk-In Shower -16.6% Widespread $472,900 8 Triple-Pane Windows -14.9% Occasional $543,250 9 Wine Vault (Temperature Controlled) -13.8% Occasional $2,700,000 10 Cool Roof / Reflective Roof -11.3% Rare $663,950 A Data-Driven Look at the Market Realtor.com’s analysis is grounded in real-time housing data—tracking the language used in millions of active for-sale listings throughout 2025. Each feature’s growth rate reflects how often it was highlighted by sellers year over year, offering an objective view into which design and lifestyle trends are being promoted in the market. Features were also categorized by prevalence—from Widespread to Rare—to provide context on scale and accessibility. Because rare features start from a smaller base, their rapid growth rates can signal emerging trends that may become mainstream in future years. Methodology This analysis draws on active for-sale listings on Realtor.com® from 2024 and 2025 (comparing January - September 2024 to January - September 2025). It measures how frequently specific home features appeared in property descriptions to identify emerging and declining trends. Each feature’s year-over-year percentage change reflects the shift in how often that feature was mentioned in listings, offering insight into which amenities real estate professionals are emphasizing more or less over time. The analysis began with an initial list of 290 feature terms, covering design elements, amenities, materials, and systems commonly referenced in listings. Median listing prices represent the median list price of homes that included each feature in their description, providing context for the typical price tier where these trends appear. Prevalence classifications, Widespread, Common, Occasional, and Rare, are based on the relative frequency of features across all active listings. Features were ranked by their share of mentions and segmented into tiers to indicate how broadly each appears in the marketplace, from those found in a large proportion of homes to those appearing only in a small subset of listings.