What Homebuyers Want in 2021: The Hottest Kitchen, Bath, and Outdoor Trends in the New Year
As we embark on the new year, the real estate industry is coming off an unusually busy winter season.
Far from tanking the housing market, the coronavirus pandemic seems to have had little negative effect on home sales in most of the country. And in 2021, many agents expect the strong market to continue, especially as we see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel with a vaccine and potentially improving economy.
So if you’re poised to list your home in 2021, you’re surely asking yourself: What are homebuyers looking for? Here are some of the hottest kitchen, bath, and outdoor trends to consider jumping on this year.
Kitchen
If you’re considering a remodel or upgrades to your home, it’s critical to focus on the ones that will give you a positive ROI.
In general, these tend to be smaller, more focused projects rather than huge remodels. A full chef’s kitchen, for example, may look beautiful, but most home buyers won’t want to pay for all those bells and whistles. That could leave you having spent big to redo your kitchen, without recouping much of the cost in your resale value.
In 2021, according to HomeLight’s Q4 Top Agent Insights Survey, the top kitchen features that home buyers are looking for are: 
- A kitchen island
- Walk-in pantries
- Lots of cabinet storage
Additional upgrades that buyers are interested in are backsplashes and smart appliances. Finally, buyers are also interested in having ample counter space for all the smaller kitchen appliances many of us now have (thanks, pandemic impulse buying!).
Bath
When it comes to bathrooms, the overall trend is always toward functionality—and that means a bathroom that looks and feels airy, clean, and minimal.
In 2021, buyers are actually looking backward, however, when it comes to style. One of the nostalgic styles that’s making a comeback is brass hardware.
Other features in demand include double-sink vanities, in-bathroom storage like linen closets and shelving, and upscale shower heads.
Outdoor
The coming of warmer weather always gets homeowners—and buyers—busy thinking about outdoor living upgrades, and that’s doubly true when we’re all still more isolated than usual.
In 2021, the number one upgrade that homebuyers want to see is a fire pit, according to HomeLight’s survey. A privacy fence or hedges comes in at a close second, while outdoor kitchens and sun shades, whether umbrellas or retractable awnings, are third and fourth.
Undoubtedly, we’ll all be spending a good deal of time doing our socializing outdoors this year, even with the vaccine distribution rolling out across the U.S. That means it’s even more important to invest in curb appeal and livable outdoor space in 2021.
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Happy Listing!