10 Home Features That Have Decreased the Most in Popularity (And How Much Homes with Them Cost)
Home features are not a matter of aesthetics only, there’s also the functionality of the cost of maintaining these features against the average home prices.
The housing market’s “it” features change fast. Features that trended years ago reduce your home’s value today when it’s time to sell. This is because many external and interior features add to the livability and enjoyment of a house, not to real estate value or square footage, which is factor into the home price.
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Here are the top features that have decreased the most in popularity this past year, based on data from Redfin, and why they’re not suitable for your home’s value anymore.
Front Porch
Average home price with this feature: $425,000
Percentage of homes for sale: 1%
While a front porch is a relaxation spot for houses, they’re becoming less popular fast. This is because most sources of entertainment and leisure are now indoors, so the need for sitting outside for leisure and interaction dwindled. Plus, traditional porches don’t allow for privacy, so people settle for backyards instead. On top of that, porches are expensive to build and don’t add to the square feet of the home.
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Foyer
Average home price with this feature: $549,900
Percentage of homes for sale: 1%
In many homes, the foyer is the first point of receiving guests and storing coats and other extra home stuff. While this is a practical use and can boost marketability to prospective home buyers, it doesn’t factor in well for house value, especially if it’s a budget starter home. Besides this, many people are also wary of the lack of privacy it offers from the entrance since it allows you to see right into the house and living areas.
Ceramic Floors
Average home price with this feature: $479,919
Percentage of homes for sale: 1.1%
These are becoming less popular because they’re seen as outdated compared to newer materials like luxury vinyl or even hardwood. There’s also the cost of installation and maintenance. Home buyers associate ceramic tiles with the 2000s aesthetics, and cold, hard surfaces are considered less cozy than their modern alternatives.
Granite Counters
Average home price with this feature: $498,000
Percentage of homes for sale: 1.5%
A few years ago, granite counters used to be a status symbol as they were considered luxurious. Now, it’s a common amenity as many new constructions have it. They also don’t add to home prices despite their cost, so the popularity began to wane. They’re now being replaced by waterfall counters.
Natural Gas Utilities
Average home price with this feature: $430,001
Percentage of homes for sale: 1.5%
While using gas utilities in a home might be cheaper compared to electricity, factors like volatility of gas prices and health impacts of indoor air quality have made them less popular alternatives.
Master Bathroom
Average home price with this feature: $449,900
Percentage of homes for sale: 1.5%
Master bathrooms used to be such a trendy idea. They’re great for singles’ personal use until you want to sell, especially to a family with kids. Everyone would have to go into your bedroom to access the bathroom. While good for aesthetics, these types of bathrooms have become less popular because it’s not a practical option, and builders usually have to rework the plan to increase value.
Carpet
Average home price with this feature: $425,000
Percentage of homes for sale: 2.7%
While carpet flooring is warmer than tile or wood, very absorbable and affordable, it gets dirty quickly and is difficult to maintain. It has become outdated as hardwood flooring is more in style now.
Master Bedroom
Average home price with this feature: $454,000
Percentage of homes for sale: 2.7%
Master bedrooms were a standard feature for old buildings, the large spaces in the rooms were more for aesthetics and not function. Current trends are focused on maximizing spaces in newer buildings so the master bedrooms started becoming less popular.
New Construction
Average home price with this feature: $405,000
Percentage of homes for sale: 3.2%
Since houses are mostly valued on their size and not quality, builders use alternatives to build for as cheap as possible. While there have been improvements in building methods and technology, many people still prefer the ancient houses because they’re seen as solid. So, newer constructions become less and less popular options.
Basement
Average home price with this feature: $409,301
Percentage of homes for sale: 4%
Basements are a common house feature, especially in the Northeast because of the extreme winter temperatures. Heating systems like hot water are in the basement because they’re below the frost line and aren’t exposed to extreme temperatures. However, in non-extreme temperature areas, they’re typically used as storage or extra room space for other activities, which is not practical. As a result, basements are falling out of favor.
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