Even soaring prices with no end in sight will not stop Aussies from picturing their dream home.
Compare the Market surveyed more than 1000 Australians on their top ‘dream home’ features. This is imagining that money was no object, of course, and they could design their perfect home.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for some, the number one dream feature for the majority of Aussie respondents was an ocean view. Without the constraints of reality, nearly 28 per cent of those surveyed would love to look outside and see the sea.
Read: The underestimated link between home and happiness
Many of us are naturally drawn to aquatic hues and the colour blue is often associated with qualities such as calmness, openness, depth and wisdom. If gazing out at an ocean makes you feel calm and relaxed, what would be better than waking up to that sight?
The second most important dream-home feature was having a big bedroom at 22 per cent. This one doesn’t make so much sense to me, I don’t spend much time in the bedroom so I feel that space could be used better elsewhere. Plus, a small bedroom is much easier to keep warm in winter and cool in the summer.
A garden came in third with 21.8 per cent of respondents saying they would love an outdoor space to enjoy. The idea of a sprawling backyard with a lawn and space for a couple of vegie beds really does sound like a dream. That’s probably because it is. While Aussie homes are certainly increasing in size, a large backyard is, unfortunately, a rare find these days.
Read: Seven tips for creating a wellbeing-boosting garden
Almost 30 home features were available in the survey, with options ranging from simple things such as a walk-in wardrobe to higher-end inclusions such as a home theatre or spa.
Coming in fourth was a pool with 21.1 per cent of Aussies stating they’d love to have the opportunity to swim at home. When done right, a pool is not only a place to beat the heat but an attractive feature that can turn an ordinary backyard into an urban oasis.
The top dream home features
“In reality, homes with these features tend to be out of people’s price range at the moment,” says Compare the Market’s William Jolly.
“But if you’re willing to look a bit further out and make a few compromises, then some of these dream features might be more accessible.”
Must-haves sitting outside the top four include the likes of:
- ensuite bathrooms (19.6 per cent)
- a big kitchen (15.4 per cent)
- ducted heating and cooling (15 per cent)
- a large garage (13.4 per cent)
- high energy efficiency (12.3 per cent).
Least important property features
Read: Is the size of Australia’s new home builds too big?
Lifestyle features were also considered
The survey also delved into the most important lifestyle features that people would consider before moving into their dream homes.
Lack of noise was found to be the top consideration. ‘Limited noise pollution’ from cars, trucks and buses was the most popular response, chosen by 33.6 per cent of respondents. Tied for the top spot was also ‘walking distance to local shops’.
Also on the podium were ‘lots of natural light’ (32.5 per cent) and ‘proximity to nature’ (31.7 per cent), while ‘being close to the beach’ was the fourth most popular option at 29.4 per cent.
These results show that what people really want in their dream home is space and a bit of peace and quiet, reflecting the trend seen since the onset of the pandemic where people have left the major cities in droves.
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