A new Homes.com/YouGov survey of recent and upcoming new-home buyers found they tend to favor single-family setups over townhouses and condos, and they value modern features like energy-efficient and smart home products more than bigger spaces.
For its New Construction: What Buyers Want Survey, Homes.com partnered with YouGov in May to poll more than 1,000 people aged 25-plus who have incomes of at least $50,000 and either purchased a new home in the past two years or plan to buy a newly built property in the next two. The survey reveals shifting preferences, persistent concerns, and surprising regional trends. See the full methodology.
While many respondents expressed enthusiasm for modern features and certain home types, others voiced concerns about affordability and the buying process itself. Builders, meanwhile, shared insights into how they’re adapting to meet buyer expectations — from design choices to communication strategies.
The survey, conducted in May, offers a snapshot of what’s driving decisions in today’s new-home market, who the buyers of new homes are, and what’s holding some people back. How are buyers finding new communities? What tech are they adopting in those searches? And how big a role does customization play in the builders and communities they choose?
In this series, we’ll unpack the data and explore what it means for builders, buyers, and the future of new-home construction. From layout preferences to location priorities, and from financing fears to tech-forward amenities, each story will dive deeper into the findings.
The findings
- People looking to purchase new homes tend to be young women
- Buyers say this is why they chose to build a new home
- First-time homebuyers seek more transparency from builders
- New-home buyers want walkable communities near shopping and services
- Limited inventory of existing homes motivates some buyers to seek new
- First-time buyers opt for new houses that are smaller, more affordable
- When it comes to sustainable features, energy-efficient appliances draw buyers
- Virtual tools are a hit with homebuyers
- Roughly six in 10 new-home shoppers use real estate agents, computers
- Open floor plans remain a top choice for new-home buyers
- First-time buyers want a say on floor plans and finishes
- Anxiety about mortgages plagues first-time new home buyers
- These are the biggest pain points for new-home buyers
- New construction buyers gravitate toward the South
- Buyers of new construction homes say this matters the most about builders