Home offices, customization, builder reputation and AI-enabled search are shaping the 2026 new-home market
Homes.com, a CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) leading online residential marketplace, found that today’s new-construction buyers approach the home buying process with more information and higher expectations than ever, often anchoring their decisions in having larger homes and long-term financial confidence, according to a newly published survey.
The New Construction Market Landscape Study What New Home Buyers Want, conducted by Good Run Research and CMI Research and published by Homes.com, surveyed over three thousand American adults aged 25 or older who were primary or joint housing decision-makers and had a newly constructed home purchase price or budget of at least $250,000 over a two-year period.
The report, which operates at a 95% confidence level, identifies seven key insights into the evolving preferences and challenges individuals face when buying newly constructed homes and is broken down across demographics and buyer profiles that include age, price point and state.
A drilldown into homebuyer preferences across 10 states found that priorities vary widely by region, underscoring the importance of builders tailoring their offerings to local demand.
Together, the results paint a picture of buyers who reward transparency and quality above all else. Below is a breakdown of the seven key findings:
- AI and Video Drive the Search: 51% of respondents used AI tools during their home search, and 62% engaged with AI three or more times a week. Buyers also leaned on richer digital media to evaluate homes before visiting. Videos of homes and communities were the most popular virtual search tool at 42%, followed by interactive floor plans at 36% and interactive site plans at 29%.
- Among Gen Z buyers, one in four said they struggle to visualize a completed home, reinforcing the value of immersive media.
- More Space and Financial Autonomy Are Key Motivators: The desire for a larger home or more indoor or outdoor space topped buyer motivations at 35%. The next three drivers were all tied to financial autonomy: achieving financial readiness at 32%, finding an affordable area at 31% and the desire to own a home rather than continue renting at 31%. Health and safety standards were another motivator for 25% of buyers.
- Home Offices Are a Necessity: 64% of respondents work remotely at least one day per week, making dedicated workspace a core requirement. A home office was important to 74% of buyers, the highest-priority additional room in the study, while 49% wanted a second home office. Recent purchasers also reported reducing their daily commute by an average of eight minutes, or 26%, after moving into a newly constructed home.
- New Construction Is Seen as an Opportunity to Customize: 70% of buyers want full structural and aesthetic customization. They view the ability to begin with a blank slate and tailor finishes and layouts as a baseline expectation rather than a premium feature, making personal control a central part of new construction’s appeal.
- Reputation and Quality Decide the Builder: Affordability shapes what buyers can purchase, but trust and quality play a larger role in determining whom they buy from. 57% considered the quality of materials and 54% considered builder experience, compared with 30% who considered financial incentives. Objective reviews also carried more weight than social media, reinforcing the value of an established reputation.
- Financial Considerations Still Matter: While financial incentives were not the leading factor in builder selection, buyers remained highly attentive to the broader costs of homeownership. Homeowners insurance was a concern for 50% of respondents, while 49% cited property taxes and closing costs. Financing presented an additional challenge for first-time buyers, 74% of whom expressed concern about qualifying for a mortgage. This group accounted for 55% of all respondents and 71% of Gen Z respondents.
- Function Is More Important Than Aesthetics: Buyers consistently favored practical features over visual upgrades. A private backyard ranked first at 51%, followed by security features at 47% and flexible spaces at 36%. In the kitchen, natural light was important to 85% of buyers, while quality cabinetry and additional storage were each cited by 84%. Buyers most often wanted a home to feel “comfortable” at 38% and “safe” at 33%, while “impressive”, “exclusive” and “upscale” each drew significantly less interest. Overall, homebuyer preferences across 10 states varied widely by region, underscoring the need for builders to tailor offerings to local demand.
For more information on the New Construction Market Landscape Study visit https://www.homes.com/solutions/new-home-buyer-trends-report-2026.
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Media Contact:
Matthew Blocher
CoStar Group
(202) 346-6775
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