Joanne Paulson: Canadian new home buyers reveal their top 10 desires

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Well, happy holidays.

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It feels, even more than usual, that the season came upon us at the speed of a meteor shooting through the sky, but maybe that’s just me.

It was, in so many respects, a challenging year. We’ve been through difficult discussions around homelessness, a bunch of elections, and dire things happening around the world, just to hit the top of the iceberg.

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So my thoughts recently decided they’d had enough and instead turned to lists. You know, like what gifts to buy for whom, how many tarts to make, which party is happening on what day.

When I stumbled on a housing-related list in mid-November (published in October, but I was busy) I thought, OK, that might be a little holiday-cheerier.

It’s the most recent Canadian Home Buyer Preferences survey produced by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA), conducted in partnership with Avid Ratings Canada.

While it’s Canada-wide, Saskatchewan respondents were third in number after Ontario and Alberta, so it should somewhat reflect local tastes.

It looked at the main wants of buyers deciding on new home features — and being, as noted, a list person, I was intrigued. Full disclosure: I was also interested in how my old house stacks up, and thought others might be, too.

So here we go. The top 10 deep desires in 2024 were:

1. Walk-in closets (primary suite): I do not have these, and I seem to manage. But it would be nice. Are you listening, Santa? I might be a bit surprised that this ranked first.

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2. Kitchen island: Do peninsulas count?

3. High-efficiency windows: In this climate? Oh yeah.

4. Walk-in closets (interior of home): I wasn’t clear on this one. Did they mean in all the bedrooms? The front closet? The pantry?

5. Energy-efficient appliances: This would be higher up on my list. Saving money on water, gas and electricity is getting more and more important as utility costs rise.

6. Overall energy-efficient home: Yup. See No. 3.

7. HRV/ERV air exchange system: If you’re unfamiliar, HRVs and ERVs move fresh air into the home and push stale air outside, but also recover energy from the exhausted air. An HRV transfers heat, while an ERV transfers both heat and moisture. These are not inexpensive, I am told.

8. Linen closets: How does one manage without nice, convenient spots for sheets and towels? And lots of stuff you have no other place for, to be fair?

9. Kitchen: hardwood or wood-look floor: That would be very nice. But top 10? Hmm. Head scratching aside, I’d go for a softer floor, like maybe cork — which does have a bit of a wood look.

10. Two-car garage: Despite the growing focus on transit and reducing emissions, we still want this. That said, garages are, of course, excellent for storage as well as parking.

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On a more serious note, what I found interesting was a fairly high focus on energy efficiency, which accounted for four out of 10 items on this list. I liked seeing that. It shows we Canadians have brains.

Other wants, by the way, have been bumped from the top 10. People still want open-concept kitchens, for example, but less than they have in the past; they slipped off the list this year. The survey authors wondered, “Is that a result of the pandemic and a developing trend back toward more distinct spaces in the home? Will that trend continue?”

Home desires wrestle with needs as times change. You can’t see the beauty of an energy-efficient furnace, but you can feel it. You don’t notice the energy-efficient fridge, but your electrical bill does. And you can see out an old window (almost) as well as a new energy-efficient one, but you’ll also feel that cold wind seeping through.

The survey, being focused on the homes themselves, didn’t touch on location. It did talk about price, but that’s another huge conversation.

I would say, though, that any home buyer would still first evaluate location. Neighbourhood is incredibly important, but so are city, province, and country.

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For now, despite the lack of walk-in closets, I’ll stay here in my peaceful, beautiful neighbourhood, in my lovely city, in my beautiful province, in my beloved country.

Sorry. I always get a little maudlin this time of year. Merry and happy.

Joanne Paulson is a Saskatoon author and freelance journalist who has been covering real estate, off and on, for more than 25 years. Do you have a fascinating real estate story to share? Get in touch at jcpwriter@sasktel.net.

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