Top features people look for when buying a home in Canada

As spring approaches many people think of buying a new home.

Spring is typically the busiest season in real estate but with the U.S.-Canada trade war, this year could be muted, despite a recent Bank of Canada interest rate cut.

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People on the hunt for a new home often have a wish list of must-have features. A new survey asked potential home buyers to select their top five features out of a total of 27 attributes and amenities.

The top feature for this year is outdoor space, according to digital real estate platform Wahi’s survey among Angus Reid Forum members.

More than three-quarters (81 per cent) of Canadians say that if they were in the market for a new home to rent or own, a backyard is important, or very important, according to Wahi’s 2025 What Homeseekers Want survey report.

Wahi broke down the report into those who prefer single-family homes and those looking for condos.

Nearly three-quarters of those who favour single-family homes include backyard in their selections, and the only other attribute the majority of Canadians who prefer single-family homes agreed upon in terms of importance was a renovated kitchen or bathroom (59 per cent).

A finished basement is also strongly preferred (42 per cent), which may align with some Canadians’ plans to rent out a portion of their home as a mortgage helper.

Having a parking garage (39 per cent) and a bungalow (one-storey) layout (30 per cent) rounded out the top five in terms of importance.

Those in the condo market had slightly different priorities. A renovated kitchen and/or bathroom in their unit is the top priority, (68 per cent), followed by a parking garage (53 per cent), and visitor parking (36 per cent).

Many condo-seeking Canadians favoured high-end appliances (33 per cent) and a scenic view (30 per cent), neither of which were high priorities for those interested in a single-family home.

Wahi also looked at regional differences.

A separate entrance was a particularly important attribute for respondents in Canada’s two most expensive provinces: British Columbia (27 per cent) and Ontario (20 per cent). Wahi suggested homeowners are looking for ways to offset high costs with tenant revenue.

There were also differences between generations. A mudroom is an important feature for households with kids (51 per cent) while older Canadians are more likely to find a scenic view to be important, or very important: baby boomers (69 per cent), Gen X (54 per cent), millennials (40 per cent), and Gen Z (33 per cent).

Older Canadians are also more likely to want a bungalow-style home: 68 per cent of baby boomers and more than half (52 per cent) of Gen X respondents say this layout is an important feature, versus 28 per cent of millennials and 13 per cent of Gen Z.

“The results of Wahi’s 2025 What Homeseekers Want Survey don’t just tell us about what kind of homes Canadians prefer, they also speak to underlying demographic trends and, in some cases, affordability issues,” said Wahi CEO Benjy Katchen.

For more on Wahi’s 2025 What Homeseekers Want survey, see the full report here.

Lead photo:  Max Vakhtbovycn