Zillow’s 2027 Home Trends Report found that sellers and agents were mentioning color-drenched rooms, flex spaces, and places to unplug more often in for-sale listings. For agents and media teams, the findings are a starting point for deciding what to show in photos, explain in a walkthrough, or verify in the listing copy.
What Do Zillow's 2027 Home Trends Actually Measure?
In its report published November 10, 2026, Zillow analyzed hundreds of features across millions of for-sale listings. The percentages show year-over-year changes in how often features appeared in listing descriptions. They don’t establish how many homes have each feature or how much buyers value it.
Mentions can rise because more listed homes have a feature, because agents choose to highlight it more often, or both. Use the findings to understand how homes are being marketed, and look to other evidence when assessing buyer priorities.
Which Features Are Appearing More Often in Zillow Listings?
Color-Drenched Rooms and More Polished Interiors
Color drenching means carrying one color across multiple surfaces, such as a den’s walls, ceiling, trim, and built-ins. Zillow found that mentions of color-drenched spaces rose 84%. The word “elevated” appeared 71% more often, while “cozy” appeared 22% less often. “Cozy” remains common in listings, so the change is better read as a shift in emphasis than the end of a style.
Flex Spaces and Multigenerational Living
Mentions of home offices rose 42%, flex spaces rose 35%, and multigenerational living rose 58%. Mentions of open-concept layouts held steady.
If a home has both an open living area and a private workspace, show where the workspace sits and how it connects to the rest of the home.
Smart Home Features and Spaces to Unplug
Mentions of AI rose 119%, while listings highlighted spaces to unplug 34% more often. Separately, mentions of app-controlled home systems rose 34%.
If the home has app-controlled lighting or climate controls, name the function you can verify. A photo of a window seat or reading nook can show where someone might unplug without promising how buyers will use the space.
Specific Efficiency Upgrades, Wellness Features, and Catios
Mentions of whole-home batteries rose 43%, fresh-air ventilation systems rose 52%, and spa-inspired bathrooms rose 60%. Zillow reported a 32% increase for catios, or enclosed outdoor spaces for cats.
Photos can show the layout of a catio or the finishes in a bathroom. For batteries and ventilation systems, verify what is installed before describing how it works.
What the Report Can and Can’t Tell Real Estate Agents
Use the report to spot details your listing may be overlooking. A home with a finished room off the entry, for example, might benefit from a description that tells readers where the room is and what’s currently in it. That is more informative than adding flex space to the copy without showing which room it refers to.
Use separate evidence for pricing and renovation decisions. A national rise in mentions does not tell you what buyers in a specific market will pay for a feature, or whether adding it will shorten time on market. If a seller is weighing an upgrade before listing, start with comparable properties and the condition of the home. The Zillow report can suggest a question to investigate; it does not answer whether the project will pay off.
How to Show These Home Features in a Listing
Use Photos to Show Color and Room Function
For a color-drenched room, take a wide shot that shows how the same color carries across the walls, trim, and ceiling. Add a detail shot if the finish matters to the listing. When editing, lift shadows without noticeably shifting the paint color between views. See our real estate photography lighting guide for ways to manage mixed light and color casts.
For a flex room, give viewers enough context to judge the use for themselves. Show the doorway, usable floor area, and any built-ins. A desk can illustrate one possible setup; the wider frame helps viewers see whether the room is enclosed or part of a shared space.
Use a Walkthrough or Floor Plan to Show How Spaces Connect
Use a floor plan to show where the rooms sit and a video walkthrough to show the route between them. If the route from the entry to a main-floor suite matters, show it continuously and note any steps.
In Zillow’s 2026 buyer survey, 82% agreed they would be more likely to view a home if its listing included a floor plan they liked. That reflects stated preference, not measured showing bookings or sales.
Use Verified Details for Features a Camera Can’t Prove
A photo can show an installed battery, but it can’t tell viewers which circuits it serves or how long it will run. Confirm the model, then check the installation documentation or ask the installer which circuits it powers. Include a runtime only if you can substantiate it and explain what it depends on. Apply the same approach to ventilation and smart home features: verify what is installed and what it does.
Rotider’s take: Use photos to show what’s visible, video or a floor plan to explain how spaces connect, and verified listing copy to describe what equipment does. For a finished room off the entry, photograph the doorway and usable floor area, mark the room on the floor plan, and describe its current setup in the listing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest 2027 home trends in Zillow listings?
Zillow highlighted more mentions of color-drenched interiors, flex spaces, multigenerational living, smart features, places to unplug, and specific efficiency and wellness upgrades.
Are open floor plans going out of style in 2027?
Zillow’s report doesn’t show that. Mentions of open-concept layouts held steady while home offices, media rooms, and flex spaces appeared more often. Both layouts and defined rooms can be part of the same home.
Do these features help homes sell faster?
The report doesn’t establish that. It tracks listing language, not the effect of individual features on sale price or time on market.
What is a catio, and how should agents show one?
A catio is an enclosed outdoor area that gives cats access to fresh air. If the property has one, show the enclosure and how it connects to the house; those details are more useful than calling the home pet-friendly without showing why.
