What features are Canadians looking for in their new-construction homes?

Master Suites

A luxury, spa-like bath is a priority for home buyers. But the shower beats the tub in buyer preferences. Fortyeight-and-a-half per cent of buyers of Toronto-area detached, two-storey homes considered a whirlpool tub a priority, compared to 68.2 per cent who wanted an oversized shower. Among highrise consumers in Toronto, 48.2 per cent wanted the oversized shower versus 30 per cent who wanted the whirlpool. Among singlefamily home buyers in Ontario and the Toronto region, about 80 per cent consider double sinks a priority. Only 61 per cent of highrise buyers in the Toronto area considered the double sink a priority.

Kitchens

Open concept is the overwhelming design choice across all categories of home buyers in Ontario and the Toronto region, the preference of between about 85 per cent and 90 per cent of consumers.

About 90 per cent of buyers of detached homes want a kitchen island. But the number of islandseeking Toronto highrise buyers fell to about 75 per cent from 87 per cent two years earlier.

When it comes to counters, quartz was edging up on granite’s popularity but the latter stone remained the clear favourite among 90 per cent of GTA midrise buyers and 75 per cent of highrise consumers.

Energy Efficieny

The survey shows that consumers will pay more for a house with energy efficient features — but we’re in it to save utility costs rather than the planet. High-efficiency windows were the most often cited preference (91 per cent) among detached home buyers, compared to 77 per cent of highrise buyers.

LED lighting has increased among detached- and midrise home buyers through the three survey periods. Among GTA highrise shoppers, however, it has dropped to about 70 per cent from 87 per cent two years ago. Source: Canadian Homebuyer Preference National Study 2017