Short answer: The feature new home buyers want most in 2026 is a home office. A Homes.com survey of 3,036 recent and prospective new-construction buyers found that 74% rank it as important. Hobby rooms (63%), playrooms (60%), secure package areas and a second laundry set follow close behind. In South Florida, those flexible-space preferences are playing out in a luxury market that is setting records.
Key Takeaways
- Home offices lead: 74% of new-construction buyers call a home office important.
- Higher budgets, more offices: Nearly half of buyers want a second home office, rising to 65% among those shopping above $2 million.
- Flexible rooms matter: 63% want a hobby room and 60% want a playroom.
- South Florida luxury is surging: Million-dollar sales through September 2026 hit 10,792, up 20% year over year.
- Ultra-luxury hit a record: Miami-Dade logged 24 sales of $30 million or more through September, passing all of 2025.
What Features Do New Home Buyers Want Most in 2026?
The 2026 Homes.com New Construction Market Landscape Study, conducted by Good Run Research and CMI Research, surveyed more than 3,000 adults. Buyers are arriving more informed and with higher expectations, and they are prioritizing space, function and long-term financial confidence. The most requested features are below.
| Feature | Share of Buyers Who Want It |
|---|---|
| Home office | 74% |
| Hobby room | 63% |
| Playroom | 60% |
| Second home office | Nearly 50% (65% above $2M) |
| Multigenerational living space | 18% cite it as a reason for their search |
Sources: Florida Realtors (summarizing Homes.com survey data); Homes.com.
Home Offices: The Clear Number One
Remote and hybrid work have made a dedicated workspace a baseline expectation rather than a perk. Buyers want a door that closes, good light and room for a real desk, not a corner of the dining room. Many want two such spaces.
Hobby Rooms and Playrooms: Space With a Purpose
Demand for dedicated rooms goes well beyond work. Interest in playrooms varies sharply by generation: 63% of Gen Z respondents want one, compared with only 14% of baby boomers. A well-planned bonus room that can serve as a craft studio, gym, playroom or guest suite appeals to the widest range of buyers.
Everyday Function: Package Areas and a Second Laundry
Buyers also expressed interest in a secure place for package deliveries and a second washer and dryer. These are small, practical features that signal a home was designed for how people actually live.
What Are Luxury Buyers in South Florida Doing Right Now?
Luxury buyers want the same flexible, function-first features, just at larger scale, and they are buying in record numbers. South Florida is having a banner year at the top of the market, with luxury growth outpacing the overall market.
September 2026 South Florida Luxury Data
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| South Florida million-dollar sales, year to date through September | 10,792 (up 20%; overall sales up 6%) | MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld |
| Single-family luxury threshold (top 5%) | $3.2 million | MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld |
| Single-family ultra-luxury threshold (top 1%) | $10.3 million | MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld |
| Condo luxury / ultra-luxury thresholds | $2.2 million (up 10%) / $5.6 million (stable) | MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld |
| Miami-Dade and Palm Beach closings of $3M+ in September | 94 closings totaling $645.4 million | Haute Residence |
| Average / median sale among those $3M+ closings | $6.87 million / $4.50 million | Haute Residence |
| Median price per square foot (those closings) | $1,431 | Haute Residence |
| Miami Beach share of that luxury volume | $178.5 million across 29 sales (27.7%) | Haute Residence |
| Miami-Dade sales of $30M+ through September | 24, versus 21 in all of 2025; on pace for 32 | MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld |
| Miami-Dade September total dollar volume | $1.8 billion (up 15.4%) | MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld |
| Cash share of Miami-Dade September closed sales | 38.3% | MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld (via E-A-A) |
Sources: MIAMI REALTORS + RWorld; Haute Living / Haute Residence Market Report; Keys News; E-A-A.
Beyond Miami: Statewide and Southwest Florida
The statewide picture is steadier than the luxury headlines suggest. According to Florida Realtors, September single-family closed sales fell 3.5% from a year earlier, condo and townhouse sales were essentially flat, and the condo and townhouse median price slipped nearly 2% to $293,500, while luxury sales continued to perform well (summary).
On the Gulf Coast, Sarasota County recorded 681 single-family sales in September, up 5.4% from a year earlier, with condo sales up 34.3% and a $26 million waterfront sale leading the month (Naples Golf Homes). In Naples, 12-month average sale prices in golf communities ranged from about $4.8 million in Pelican Bay to roughly $5.7 million in Grey Oaks (Naples Golf Homes).
How Do Buyer Wish Lists Connect to the Luxury Market?
The two data sets point the same way. Buyers above $2 million are the most likely to want a second home office (65%), and South Florida’s $2 million-plus segments are where sales are growing fastest. Homes with flexible, well-designed rooms, plus the lifestyle South Florida offers, are what high-budget buyers are paying for.
For sellers, the lesson is to present rooms as multi-use. A bonus room staged as an office, a hobby studio or a playroom helps each type of buyer picture their own life there. For buyers, the lesson is to rank your must-haves early, because competition for well-designed homes is strong at the top of the market.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most wanted feature among new home buyers in 2026?
A home office. In the Homes.com survey of 3,036 buyers, 74% identified it as an important feature, ahead of hobby rooms (63%) and playrooms (60%).
Do luxury buyers want different features than other buyers?
They want more of the same flexible space. Nearly half of all buyers want a second home office, and that share rises to 65% among buyers shopping above $2 million.
How is the South Florida luxury market performing in 2026?
Strongly. Million-dollar sales through September reached 10,792, up 20% from a year earlier, while overall sales rose 6%. Miami-Dade also set a new record for $30 million-plus closings.
What price counts as luxury in South Florida?
Through September 2026, the single-family luxury threshold was $3.2 million and ultra-luxury began at $10.3 million. For condos, the thresholds were $2.2 million and $5.6 million.
Summary: Buying or Selling in South Florida? Talk to Natasha.
New home buyers want space that works hard: a home office first, then hobby rooms, playrooms, secure package areas and a second laundry. In South Florida, those priorities meet a luxury market that is growing faster than the overall market, with 10,792 million-dollar sales through September 2026 and record ultra-luxury closings in Miami-Dade. Whether you are buying or selling a home in the South Florida area, contact Natasha at Live South Florida Realty, Inc. for local guidance, accurate pricing and a plan built around what today’s buyers want.
Contact Natasha at Live South Florida Realty, Inc.
Market figures are drawn from the sources linked above and reflect data published through October 2026. Statistics are for informational purposes only and are not financial or legal advice.
