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When residential real estate agents and clients are trying to sell a home, they spend a good deal of time contemplating what home buyers might respond to in those (seemingly) innocuous “for sale” listings. Leave it to a well-known real estate analytics firm – Zillow® – to take the selling points that are mentioned in those listings and draw fascinating conclusions on buying trends for the immediate future.
In a research report released in November 2024, Zillow predicted that in 2025, “homeowners and buyers will blend the latest technology with nostalgic, old-world charm to create comfortable, sustainable and climate-resilient homes.”
What This Means for You — When the experts at Zillow crunched the numbers on the most popular words in millions of “for sale” listings, five interesting trends emerged. If you are contemplating selling or buying a home in the next few months, you may want to take a closer look at these trends.
For more than 130 years, Acme Brick has helped homeowners breathe easier, knowing that brick construction helps reduce utilities, saving money and preventing damage from natural disasters, saving lives. If you are buying a home, ask your agent to look for brick construction.
Not long ago, “sustainability” was one of those wonky words that a few architects, builders, and interior designers recognized, and even fewer home buyers and sellers thought much about. Those days are over. Why?
“Technology has enabled homeowners to live more sustainably and more affordably, which is a growing priority for prospective buyers,” said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert. “Energy-efficient and climate-resilient home features are quickly gaining popularity as homeowners look to keep costs down, including insurance costs. At the same time, a home is not just a checklist of practical features, it’s a feeling. Homeowners and buyers today are looking to the past to create a sense of warmth, character and comfort in even the most high-tech environments.”
According to a press release about the company’s research, “Zillow identified five emerging trends by looking at hundreds of home features and design styles mentioned in millions of for sale listings in 2024, then identified the keywords showing up far more frequently than a year ago. When certain features appear in a rising share of listings, it’s a signal that they are in demand and desirable to a buyer. Real estate agents are uniquely attuned to what buyers want, and savvy agents will highlight those features when marketing a home for sale.”
What did this key-word analysis reveal? There are five trends that, at first glance, may appear to be contradictory, but, in fact, are completely logical pieces to the residential buyers’ puzzle.
Catching a trending “wave” in the residential listing or buying process can pay big dividends for either buyer or seller. If you are thinking about getting into this market in the next 12 or so months, here are five trends to be aware of, according to the experts at Zillow.
Electric Features Are Must-Have
“Today’s home buyers are looking to live their values, seeking out homes with sustainable and environmentally friendly features. Mentions of ‘whole-home’ batteries have surged by 62% since last year, the fastest-growing feature in this year’s analysis. Whole-home batteries store excess energy from solar panels, acting as a generator during a power outage or when the sun isn’t shining. Solar panels appear 18% more often in for-sale listings on Zillow, as are the terms ‘sustainable’ and ‘green.’
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“It’s not just solar power. Electric vehicle (EV) chargers are appearing in 34% more for-sale listings on Zillow today than a year ago. And electric ranges are gaining traction, too. Mentions of induction cooktops are up 5%.”
For centuries, brick has been recognized as a sustainable and environmentally friendly home construction material. This is because it has superior thermal mass benefits. Thermal mass is the material’s capacity to absorb and store heat. Dense materials such as clay brick and stone have superior thermal mass capabilities and if a home is constructed of brick, this is an excellent point to present to buyers.
High Tech + High Touch = Cozy Vibes Ruling
Okay, electricity is fine and dandy. However, the vibe shift to cozy is also taking off for home buyers.
The Zillow research notes, “The term cozy is no longer a negative real estate euphemism — it’s a sought-after design trait. Listings mentioning ‘cozy’ have increased by 35% compared to last year. Yes, home buyers are embracing smaller, cozier spaces for affordability and sustainability, and rejecting the cavernous open floor plans and pandemic-era need for more and more space. The great room has been replaced by smaller, cozier, color-saturated rooms that serve a specific purpose, such as dens and dining rooms.”
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Brick walls and fireplaces have captured the cozy quotient for thousands of years. Thin Brick, available from Acme for accent walls and brick fireplaces for both interior and outdoor entertainment spaces, have timeless appeal.
Granny Is Leading an Old-World Comeback
As noted in the annual Acme Brick What’s Hot and What’s Not for 2025, grandma chic has arrived and she’s captured the imagination of all ages. The Zillow key-word research supports this.
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“Move over, Grand Millennial style. 2025 is set to go full granny, with floral patterns, tapestries, antique furnishings and chintz making a strong return. Nostalgia is a growing trend, appearing in 14% more listings than in 2023, while ‘vintage’ mentions are up by 9%. Additionally, bibliophilic decor and home libraries are on the rise, showing up 22% more frequently in listings on Zillow. The Victorian-era scullery is also making a 21st-century comeback. This second kitchen, or back kitchen, where entertainers can hide the dirty work of meal prep and cleanup, is appearing in 8% more listings today than a year ago.”
Climate Resiliency: Potentially a Life-or-Death Matter
Unfortunately, singer/songwriter James Taylor is not the only guy to have seen fire and rain. Many homebuyers have seen wildfires and hurricanes destroy a Maui community, not to mention expensive and middle-income neighborhoods from California to Texas to Florida. As a result of this, homes that are built with Acme Brick have become top-of-mind in disaster-prone areas. This strongly suggests that home sellers with a property constructed of brick should highlight this in listing information. The reason is simple: The home buyers are looking for this, too.
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As the Zillow research notes, “With climate-related disasters becoming more frequent, sellers are highlighting features that offer some degree of protection, and buyers are seeking them out. Zillow finds that 86% of recent home buyers say it’s very important that a home has at least one climate-resilient feature.
“The share of for sale listings on Zillow that mention flood barriers is up 22% compared to last year, seismic retrofitting is up 20%, and references to water catchment systems are up 19%. Drought-resistant turf yards are showing up 14% more often compared to a year ago.”
A Powerful Trend Toward Self-Care: Spa-Inspired Wet Rooms
It started with the COVID pandemic and continues to pick up steam in 2025. There is a growing emphasis on wellness, and home buyers are ready to relax.
“This luxurious design element, most often found in high-end hotels, is the latest spa-inspired upgrade to start showing up in homes. A wet room combines the shower and bathtub into one waterproof space without the usual shower curb or enclosure. Wet rooms are being featured 19% more often in listings on Zillow.
Tile shown here: Portobello America’s Ageless in Charleston, available at Acme Brick, Tile & Stone
“This 2025-bathroom trend is part of a growing emphasis on wellness design. As buyers become increasingly attuned to the ways their home impacts their physical and mental well-being, the share of for-sale listings that mention wellness features is up 16% compared to last year.” The attraction of these in-home spas is greatly enhanced when they have other “healthy” features. The anti-microbial Florim large format porcelain tile panels from Acme prevents germs from flourishing in this damp, warm environment. This is a distinct selling/buying feature.
This research from Zillow suggests several strategies for anyone selling or buying an existing home. It also offers good insights for families who will be building a new home.
Including these sustainability and “livability” features in a new build will enhance a family’s quality of life and can help the home maintain or grow in value for the future.
Looking for more great home improvement ideas? Click here and prepare to be amazed!
