According to the latest Zillow Home Trends Report, the top home buyer trends for 2026 will focus on comfort, wellness, sustainability, and financial efficiency.
According to the Zillow research, buyers will be seeking cozy “at-home escapes,” personalized spaces, green features (like solar/EV charging), and smart kitchens for food savings, alongside booming interest in vibrant colors (color-drenching) and specific designs like wooden vanities and artisan tiles. Expect demand for resilient, energy-smart homes and personalized sanctuaries, driven by ongoing affordability concerns and a desire for unique, handcrafted character.
Here are the 6 Key Buyer Trends for 2026:
At-Home Escapes & Personal Sanctuaries
The term “cozy” saw a big boost in listing mentions going into 2026. Buyers want dedicated cozy nooks for reading, private focus rooms, and general well-being features, turning homes into personal retreats. “Wellness features” rose in listing description mentions as well. Wellness features could include everything from a dedicated meditation zone, smart cleaning technology to a peaceful outdoor garden. In the same vein, “spa-inspired bathrooms,” which were mentioned 22% more often, signal a desire for daily luxury and personal sanctuary.
Eco-Conscious & Energy-Smart Homes
Interest in how to live sustainably is on the rise as buyers are actively searching for eco-conscious living options that offer both environmental benefits and cost savings. Mentions of a home being “sustainable” or “green” are up 21%, along with renewable energy-related features. This applies to things like “Whole Home Batteries,” at-home EV Charging Stations, solar panels and heat pumps.
Comfort-Driven Design with Character
A desire for comfort and character throughout 2025 has evolved into an appetite for dramatic color. “Color-drenching” (using one bold hue everywhere), artisan details, handcrafted touches, and unique vintage accents are popular for personalized spaces. Mentions of this bold design choice are up 149% year over year, showing that buyers are really craving immersive, cohesive, and mood-driven spaces.
Resilient Homes
Listing mentions of features that make homes more resilient to natural disasters are growing as homeowners look to make their homes safer and keep costs of insurance and maintenance manageable.
Resiliency-related features that rose in listing mentions include:
- Flood protection, up 64%
- Elevated, up 50%
- Defensible space landscaping, up 36% (referring to a wildfire safety practice)
- Fire protection, up 28%
Timeless & Personalized Finishes:
Homeowners are embracing details that make a house feel more personalized, such as hand-painted accent art and small-batch, handmade decor that’s unique to the owner. Buyers are drawn to specific high-quality finishes like wooden vanities (white oak/walnut) and Zellige tiles for a custom, luxurious feel in bathrooms and backsplashes. Buyers are looking for homes that serve as a safe space and a reflection of their individual identity, often incorporating soft, multi-layered ambient lighting to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Spaces for Sports
Golf simulators, pickleball courts, and batting cages are growing in popularity. Of those three, batting cages might be the most surprising addition — but they’re catching on, up 18% in mentions in 2025 — likely as homeowners look for creative ways to stay active (and entertain guests) without leaving their property. Don’t have these amenities in your home? Highlight similar spaces nearby, like a park with a basketball court or a neighborhood soccer field
Home trends that may be going out of style
With the rise of some home features comes the fall of others. These home trends could becoming a thing of the past.
- Juice stations, mentions down by 19%.
- Marble sinks, down 15%.
- Man cave, down 10%.
- Barn doors, down 6%.
To find these trends, Zillow® researchers browsed hundreds of keywords across millions of listings on Zillow, then identified the features that are being mentioned way more now than they were a year ago.
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