- 36% of U.S. residents who plan to move within the next year say a clean home with high-end filtration systems for air, water, etc. is one of the most important features when it comes to their next home. That makes it the most common priority for house hunters, along with security systems, per a recent Redfin survey.
- The heavy wildfire smoke blanketing the Midwest and Northeast last week puts the survey results into perspective: Homebuyers want a place that protects their health amid climate-related disasters.
- Every generation ranks clean homes at or near the top of their priority lists, outranking luxury amenities like home theaters and tennis courts.
More than one-third (36%) of U.S. house hunters say a “clean” home, i.e. one with high-end filtration systems for air, water, etc., is one of the top three most important features in the next place they live.
That makes it the most common priority for prospective homebuyers, along with security systems (38% rank that a top-three priority, statistically equal to the 36% for clean homes), out of a list of 22 features.
This report is based on a Redfin survey conducted by Ipsos in May 2026, fielded to 4,000 U.S. residents. This report focuses on the roughly 1,000 respondents who are planning to move within the next 12 months. Please see the end of this report for more on methodology.
Clean homes and security systems outrank every other feature we asked about, by a longshot. Views come in third, with one-quarter (25%) of prospective buyers saying they’re a top priority, followed by smart-home technology (20%). Backup power generation–such as solar panels or generators–round out the top five, with 19% of house hunters ranking it as a top-three priority.
Climate resilient upgrades or features are also fairly important to prospective buyers, with one in seven (14%) ranking it as one of their top considerations. Features that take health and climate risks into account are ranked higher than luxurious upgrades like home theaters (7%), outdoor kitchens (10%) or tennis courts (4%).
Wildfire Smoke Puts Spotlight on Desire for Clean Homes
The findings come as smoke from hundreds of Canadian wildfires blanketed much of the eastern half of the U.S. last week, reminding Americans that environmental hazards can reach their homes even when they live far from an active wildfire. More than 100 million people across eighteen states and Washington, D.C. were under air quality alerts as of July 17, with parts of Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan recording the worst air quality in the nation. New York and much of New England are also experiencing unhealthy air.
While the survey wasn’t conducted in response to last week’s wildfire and smoke emergency, the results underscore a broader trend. Prospective homebuyers are placing a premium on features that help create a healthier indoor environment. High-end air and water filtration systems can help reduce exposure to smoke and other pollutants, while growing interest in climate-resilient upgrades suggests buyers are increasingly looking for homes that can better protect them from the impacts of extreme weather and environmental risks.
“As wildfire smoke becomes more common, filtered indoor air is becoming a must-have rather than a nice-to-have,” said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. “Homebuyers are already looking for homes that can protect their families during smoke events. And I expect that in the near future, buyers searching for single-family homes will also be looking for larger homes with versatile indoor space, where they can entertain themselves when smoke forces them inside. House hunters looking for condos may prioritize indoor amenity spaces, like gyms or event rooms.”
People have generally become increasingly concerned about climate change in recent years, and they report experiencing the impacts of it in personal ways, like living with extreme weather and/or polluted air.
Clean Homes Top Millennial Wish Lists, Rank Second For Gen Zers
Nearly two in five (37%) millennial house hunters say a clean home, i.e. one with water or air filtration systems, is a top-three priority for their next home, putting it at number one (tied with security systems). Backup power generation (20%) and climate-resilient upgrades (15%) are also in the top 10 for millennials.
An even higher share of Gen Zers, 40%, rank clean homes as a top priority. It’s topped only by security systems (42%).
Clean homes are also important for Gen Xers, with 25% saying it’s a top priority, ranking after security systems (32%). For baby boomers, views are at the top of the list (47% rank them as a top priority)–but clean homes do come in third (35%), after security systems (40%).
Research shows that younger Americans are more active than older generations when it comes to addressing climate change and taking personal action to combat it.
| When thinking about the next home you live in, what are the top 3 most important features/amenities for this home?
This table displays the share of respondents for each group who ranked the features/amenities as 1, 2, or 3 |
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| All | Gen Z | Millennial | Gen X | Baby boomer | |
| Climate resilient upgrades/features | 14% | 11% | 15% | 18% | 14% |
| Smart-home technology and automation | 20% | 21% | 21% | 16% | 16% |
| Architectural significance or uniqueness | 11% | 8% | 13% | 12% | 11% |
| At-home fitness or wellness space | 13% | 14% | 13% | 16% | 9% |
| Wine cellar | 3% | 5% | 3% | 1% | – |
| Pickle ball or tennis court | 4% | 5% | 4% | 1% | 3% |
| Swimming pool | 14% | 14% | 14% | 23% | 5% |
| Electric vehicle charging station | 7% | 4% | 9% | 6% | 4% |
| Backup power generation (i.e. solar, generator) | 19% | 18% | 20% | 17% | 19% |
| Home theater or media room | 7% | 10% | 5% | 5% | 7% |
| Security system | 38% | 42% | 37% | 32% | 40% |
| Gated community | 15% | 16% | 15% | 12% | 17% |
| Layout for entertaining | 17% | 14% | 16% | 24% | 16% |
| Views | 25% | 17% | 25% | 22% | 47% |
| Pet-friendly features such as dog washing stations | 13% | 16% | 10% | 16% | 17% |
| Heated floors | 6% | 9% | 4% | 6% | 1% |
| Heated driveway | 5% | 7% | 4% | 5% | 6% |
| Proximity to golf courses, country clubs, tennis clubs, etc. | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Whiskey room | 3% | 4% | 4% | 3% | – |
| Covered outdoor patio | 17% | 12% | 16% | 23% | 28% |
| Outdoor kitchen | 10% | 9% | 11% | 14% | 4% |
| Clean home – high end filtration for air, water, etc. | 36% | 40% | 37% | 25% | 35% |
Methodology
The survey results in this report are from a Redfin survey conducted by Ipsos in May 2026 fielded to 4,000 U.S. residents. Roughly 1,000 respondents, who are planning to move within the next 12 months, responded to the question we focused on in this report. The results for this combined group of survey respondents have a credibility interval of +/-3.9 percentage points.
This report focuses on the question: When thinking about the next home you live in, what are the top 3 most important features/amenities for this home? Respondents could select 3 from 22 options; the full list of options is in the chart and table above.
