This Is The Must-Have Home Feature Of 2023, According To Zillow

With 2023 within touching distance, the home experts over at Zillow have just unveiled their predictions for the top five home trends we can look forward to in the new year. Based on data collected from both buyer and seller activity, plus searches on the site, Zillow has honed in on what homebuyers want the most in their living quarters right now. So, what claimed the top spot?

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Zillow's top home trend for 2023 is backyards. Outdoor space has always been a nice feature to have right outside one's dwelling, but the pandemic dramatically increased our appreciation and desire for access to fresh air at our home base. According to Zillow data, backyards are mentioned 22% more often in for-sale listings as compared to last year, with patios mentioned 13% more and pools seeing an uptick of 11%. Zillow has also found that backyards are now highlighted in one out of every five Zillow listing descriptions.

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"The rising popularity of outdoor features suggests the pandemic has changed the way we want to live for good, priming the backyard for a 2023 evolution," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert, in a press release. "When the pandemic forced all entertaining outdoors, homeowners reclaimed their backyards from the kids or the dogs. Now, they're rethinking how that space could serve as an extension of their home in new, creative ways."

This predilection for outdoor space won't stop at backyards either. Zillow predicts we will continue looking to make the most out of our outdoor spaces with areas like exterior home gyms, natural pools, vegetable gardens, and other kinds of outdoor rooms coming to the fore. If you were considering exploring the outdoorsy side of yourself, now just may be the time to do so.