NAHB: What window and door features home buyers want?

A new NAHB study reveals that energy-efficient windows and a variety of door options are top priorities for homebuyers.

The most recent NAHB study on home buyer preferences: What Home Buyers Really Want Study 1 – questioned customers about the characteristics and amenities they would like in a home, focusing on windows and outside doors.

Respondents were asked to rate eight window and four outside door characteristics on the following four-point scale:

• Do not want – not likely to buy a home with this design or feature.
• Indifferent – wouldn’t influence decision.
• Desirable – would be seriously influenced to purchase a home because this design or feature was included.
• Essential/Must have – unlikely to purchase a home without this design or feature.

Windows

83% of home purchasers said ENERGY STAR windows were important or desired, followed by triple-pane insulating glass (77%), and low-e-insulating glass (67%).

Since its inclusion in the study in 2007, at least 83% of home purchasers have expressed a desire for ENERGY STAR-rated windows.

Furthermore, out of the 200+ options addressed in the study, ENERGY STAR windows were considered third most desirable.

Doors

A majority of home purchasers (>50%) evaluated all four external door features as important or desirable, with only a little difference between the top (sliding patio doors at 64%) and lowest (double main entry door at 58%) rated options.

Furthermore, all four external door features have increased in popularity compared to 2020, with the double main entry door rising the highest (10%).

Furthermore, like with the other aspects of the home examined in the study, each question on windows and doors is tabulated by the buyer’s income, age, geography, race, household type, and the price they plan to pay for the property.

These data can be quite beneficial in some situations.

For example, the study examines the three window features that older purchasers prefer, as well as how preferences for hinged/French patio doors vary by income level and property price.

[See more about this topic on Eyeonhousing.org]