Searches for new construction homes have surged 73 percent during the pandemic compared to last year, according to a survey commissioned by Zillow, and 35 percent said a new floor plan would be appealing. In a survey of 2,056 adults in the United States, the Harris Poll found 27 percent would consider moving to a home with more rooms. They also agree that open spaces combined with kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms are too noisy to work. “Builders are seeing a premium placed on quiet spaces and the need for more privacy after months of working from home and distance learning,” said Lucy Wohtman, vice president of new construction at Zillow.
Open living spaces are becoming less ideal as employees continue to work from home due to Covid-19 and they need quiet spaces to hold Zoom calls, do at-home workouts, or simply to have some quiet space. A separate survey in May from Houzz found that 34 percent of those surveyed said they needed more storage, 23 percent needed a workout space, and another 23 percent were interested in workspace.