Mirvac’s latest Property Choices research has revealed the key trends and must-haves for new homes for 2025 across in-home features, community amenity and location preferences, with high ceilings, swimming pools and proximity to public transport topping the list, and a growing appetite for sustainability and smart-home features.
The bi-annual research of more than 2,000 Australians investigates key insights on buyer preferences and intentions when it comes to purchasing new homes, including apartments, houses (masterplanned communities) and townhomes.
According to Mirvac’s CEO, Development, Stuart Penklis, the research highlights the increasing importance of walkability and trend towards hyperlocal when it comes to planning communities to meet purchaser needs and demands.
“We are seeing customers place increasing importance on their immediate local area and community – they want key features and facilities that are important to them to be walking distance away – as the research highlights, with parks and gardens, convenience shopping, casual dining and healthcare among the top responses when it comes to location.
“It’s no surprise that public transport was number one across masterplanned and apartment communities – reinforcing the desire to rely less on a car,” said Mr Penklis.
Half of all respondents (50 per cent) indicated a preference for an all-electric home; one in five (21 per cent) were unsure. More respondents than not have a sustainability feature installed in their current home (63 per cent), with solar panels the most popular (33 per cent) but solar batteries the least (5 per cent). Almost a third of respondents (28 per cent) said they would pay extra for the installation of solar panels; less than seven per cent said they would not pay extra for any sustainability features – compared to 17 per cent in 2022.
“We are seeing real momentum globally, as well as locally, towards all-electric homes and buildings and a major shift in customer sentiment, which we are responding to by ensuring all-electric is ubiquitous across all our developments.
“Recent analysis estimates customers stand to reduce energy bills by more than $1,800 a year with an all-electric home with solar panels,” he said.
Two bedroom apartments, four bedroom houses and three bedroom townhouses were the most popular home configuration choices- all with two bathrooms and two car spaces. The majority of houses should have a second living space (56 per cent) – but this is less desirable for apartments or townhomes.
Study nooks are in (45 per cent), and separate offices are out across all typologies – with one in five respondents (20 per cent) preferring no study space at all. Workshop/hobby spaces are out according to two-thirds of respondents (64 per cent).
“We are also seeing growing interest in smart home capabilities – from security to comfort systems (heating and cooling) – highlighting increased demand for the use of technology to simplify living,” said Mr Penklis.
“But classic home features and inclusions such as high ceilings and quality kitchen appliances continue to rate highly as must-haves across apartments and masterplanned communities.”
In terms of onsite resident facilities, recreational swimming pools, BBQ areas, community gardens and shared gym spaces had universal appeal.
