Spotted on Zillow: Five Home Trends To Follow in 2025

Nostalgia and technology are set to coexist in more homes come 2025. That’s the big takeaway from Zillow’s research into which features and design elements are gaining interest on Zillow.com. Real estate agents are well-tuned to what buyers want, and they highlight those things in their for-sale listings.

Zillow® researchers browsed hundreds of keywords across millions of listings, then identified the features that are being mentioned way more now than they were a year ago.

We’ve put together a list of features that buyers and sellers are paying special attention to as 2024 comes to an end, ranging from floral-patterned walls to drought-resistant turf yards.

Coziness and warmth

There was a time where using the word “cozy” in a home listing wasn’t necessarily a good thing; in fact, it was often used to rebrand small houses and make them more appealing. But now, the term “cozy” is popping up in home listings 35% more often than it was in 2023.

A log cabin is peak cozy, like this one in Georgia. Take the 3D tour to get the full experience.

There are many elements that go into creating a cozy environment. Interest in homes with smaller, contained rooms is replacing a want for wide-open floor plans. A segmented layout gives a sense of closeness, feeding into that cozy vibe.

“A home is not just a checklist of practical features; it’s a feeling,” said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert. “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.”

White walls are falling out of favor as well. Using colors found in nature, like greens, browns, and deep reds, support that cozy feeling. And Zillow’s 2023 Paint Color Analysis found these colors are gaining traction, too.

Patterned wallpaper and touches of calm colors create a cozy space in this New Orleans home.

Earth tones are another way to welcome a calm and cozy atmosphere. 

Sustainability

In the face of climate change, interest in how to live sustainably is on the rise. Home solar technology, a feature that appeared 18% more often in listings this past year, offers electricity bill savings, more energy independence, and provides an eco-friendly alternative to existing electricity sources. We have a guide on whether solar is right for your home based on where you live and how much it could cost you.

The term “whole-home batteries” saw the largest surge in listing mentions over the past year – 62% more. These batteries store extra energy generated by solar panels for the home to use during a power outage or on cloudy days.

“Technology has enabled homeowners to live more sustainably and more affordably, which is a growing priority for prospective buyers,” Pendleton‌ said.

This California home comes with several whole home batteries.

Solar isn’t the only renewable energy that homes are flaunting. Electric vehicle chargers are appearing in 34% more for-sale listings, too. This can be an appealing feature for home buyers who own an electric vehicle. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are over 3.5 million electric cars on the road as of late 2024 — more than a million of them in California. Florida comes in second and Texas third. So this feature could be especially helpful if selling in those states. 

Electric car owners will be relieved to find some homes, like this one, come with a charging port.

Nostalgia

A desire for simpler times is showing through home listings, with the word “nostalgia” appearing 14% more often than in 2023. This term calls for decades-old details that may remind you of grandma’s house, like floral patterns, tapestries, and antique furnishings. Even if those things are not included in a listing, buyers may be looking for a good canvas where a vintage style would work well. By the way, “vintage” is up 9% in home listings. 

The mix of fabrics and patterns in this New York home make for a nostalgic living room. 

Sometimes wallpaper and a couple pieces of decor are enough to take you back in time. 

We’re seeing more mentions of a Victorian-era feature as well: a room called a scullery. Sculleries are second or back kitchens that are usually hidden, where the dirty work of washing dishes and prepping food is done. This extra room is climbing in popularity, appearing in listings 9% more often.

Here’s a peek into a Birmingham home’s scullery.

Here’s a closer look at that Birmingham home’s scullery.

This Houston home has a scullery with several appliances.

Home libraries

Book worms, stand up. Fantasies of living in a house with bookshelves towering up to the ceiling are gaining traction in for-sale listings. Mentions of home libraries are up 22%. Some of these libraries may even include a ladder to help reach those faraway covers.

This Virginia home’s library comes with wooden floors and some mint green shelves.

Books are not included with this home’s generous library.

This library would make for an interesting Zoom background.

Climate resiliency

Some of these trending features are in direct response to what buyers are looking for, especially as climate risks are becoming more of a reality for home buyers. That includes flood barriers, drought-resistant turf lawns, and water catchment systems. Each of these rose in listing mentions by 22%, 14%, and 19%, respectively.

Separate Zillow® research found 86% of recent home buyers said it’s very important that a home has at least one climate-resilient component. 

“Energy-efficient and climate-resilient home features are quickly gaining popularity as homeowners look to keep costs down, including insurance costs,” Pendleton said. 

Sellers are thinking about earthquakes as well, with seismic retrofitting callouts up 20%.

A turf yard can be extra beneficial in a place like Arizona, where this home is located.

Turf is also a welcome feature in some Oregon homes.

Luxurious bathrooms

Features that were previously reserved for high-end hotels are making it into more home listings — specifically, the wet room. This space combines the shower and bathtub into one waterproof room, without the usual shower curb or enclosure. It’s one big, wet room. And they’re popping up 19% more often in listings on Zillow. 

This wet room includes stone tile flooring and a hot tub with jets.

Slick black tile and a standalone tub add some elegance to this home’s wet room.

This Baton Rouge home includes wood accents in its wet room.