2025’s Hottest Home Trends: Why Efficiency Is the New Luxury

Sarah Breck
Dec 18, 2025
4 min read

Every year brings a new wave of home trends — and in 2025, the message is clear: efficiency has officially replaced aesthetics as the most valuable home upgrade.

According to Realtor.com®’s Hottest Home Trends in 2025 report, the fastest-growing features in today’s housing market have little to do with decor and everything to do with lower operating costs, sustainability, and future-proof design.

As utility costs continue rising faster than inflation, buyers are paying closer attention to how a home performs, not just how it looks.

Below, we’ll break down:

The top home upgrades gaining traction in 2025
What features are falling out of favor
Why energy efficiency is reshaping buyer behavior
What this means for Boise buyers, sellers, and new construction homes

Efficiency Is the New Baseline for Home Value - Hottest Home Trends

Realtor.com senior economist Anthony Smith describes the shift toward efficiency-focused upgrades as a “meaningful inflection” in the housing market.

Rather than being a niche preference, energy-conscious features have become a mainstream selling point. Buyers are increasingly evaluating homes as systems — considering energy use, water consumption, long-term operating costs, and adaptability to future technologies.

With utility bills climbing at more than twice the rate of inflation, homes that reduce monthly expenses are commanding significantly more attention than those that simply follow design trends.

The Fastest-Growing Home Features of 2025

1. WaterSense Fixtures (Up Nearly 290% Year Over Year)

WaterSense-certified fixtures use at least 20% less water than standard options and are now appearing in nearly three times as many listings as last year.

What’s notable is where these upgrades are showing up. Homes featuring WaterSense fixtures have a median list price around $628,000, indicating that water efficiency has moved well beyond luxury housing and into everyday residential construction.

2. Biophilic Indoor-Outdoor Design (Up 162.6%)

Biophilic design — which blends natural elements into the home — is surging in popularity. These features include:

Large sliding glass doors
Interior courtyards
Living walls or plant features
Abundant natural light
Warm, organic materials

In addition to their aesthetic appeal, these designs can help reduce energy use while supporting well-being and comfort. Buyers increasingly value homes that feel calming, restorative, and connected to the outdoors.

3. Net-Zero-Ready Homes (Up 100%)

A net-zero-ready home is designed to be so energy-efficient that, with solar added, it could generate as much power as it consumes.

The median list price for net-zero-ready homes sits around $450,000, which is strikingly close to the national median home price. This confirms that sustainable home design is no longer limited to high-end markets — it’s becoming a standard expectation.

For new construction buyers, this feature signals long-term cost control and future upgrade flexibility.

4. EV Charging Capabilities (Up 91%)

Homes with EV charging setups are appearing across a wide range of price points, signaling broader adoption and growing buyer familiarity.

Rather than being viewed as a luxury add-on, EV readiness is increasingly seen as a practical infrastructure feature — especially as utility providers shift toward time-of-use pricing models.

Why These Trends Are Accelerating

The rapid adoption of efficiency upgrades is being driven by a combination of:

Rising energy and water costs
Increased awareness of long-term operating expenses
Federal tax incentives encouraging sustainable improvements
Growing demand for homes that are resilient and adaptable

Federal programs, including incentives tied to the Inflation Reduction Act, helped push energy efficiency into the mainstream by covering up to 30% of the cost for certain upgrades like solar, batteries, heat pumps, and EV charging.

Although many of these incentives are set to expire, their impact on buyer expectations is likely permanent.

Nature, Calm, and the Rise of Biophilic Living

While efficiency dominates the data, 2025 home design also reflects a softer emotional shift.

Biophilic and coastal-modern design styles are rising because buyers want homes that feel:

Calming
Grounded
Natural
Less digitally overwhelming

These features are particularly attractive to buyers relocating from larger metro areas who prioritize lifestyle, comfort, and long-term livability.

Smarter Homes for Hybrid Lifestyles

The shift toward hybrid and remote work has permanently changed how buyers evaluate homes.

Listings are increasingly featuring:

Built-in coffee systems
Smart lighting scenes
Hardwired ethernet connections
Integrated home automation

Once reserved for high-end construction, smart-home features are now common in mid-tier listings — signaling that “smart” has become an everyday expectation.

What’s No Longer Working in 2025

Just as important as what’s trending is what’s losing relevance.

Infinity-Edge Pools (Down 25%)

Once seen as luxury symbols, these are now viewed as high-maintenance, high-cost features that don’t align with today’s efficiency-first mindset.

Three-Car Garages (Down 19%)

Buyers are prioritizing flexible, usable space over sheer square footage. EV readiness and smart storage now matter more than oversized garages.

Formal Dining Rooms (Down 25%)

Dedicated rooms used only a few times a year are falling out of favor. Buyers prefer adaptable layouts that support work, entertaining, and daily living.

What This Means for Boise Buyers and Sellers

For Buyers

Energy efficiency should be evaluated alongside location and layout
Net-zero-ready construction offers long-term value and flexibility
Smart infrastructure is becoming a baseline expectation
Biophilic design adds both comfort and resale appeal

For Sellers

Strategic upgrades matter more than full remodels
Water-efficient fixtures, smart thermostats, and lighting improvements can significantly improve market appeal
Highlighting efficiency features can help your home stand out

Efficiency Is the New Prestige

Today’s buyers are more intentional and informed than ever. Homes are no longer judged solely by size or finishes, but by how well they perform over time.

As Realtor.com economist Anthony Smith notes, “performance has become the new prestige.”

Homes that reduce energy use, support modern lifestyles, and offer future-ready infrastructure are shaping the housing market of 2025 — and beyond.