Buyers are showing more interest in technological home features, with 46% of new and prospective homeowners saying, for example, that they want a security camera on the premises, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ latest annual survey, What Home Buyers Really Want.

According to the latest study, 46 percent of recent and prospective home buyers want a security camera in their home, more than any other home technology feature listed in the survey. The study is based on a survey that asks recent and prospective home buyers (people who bought homes in the previous three years or are planning to do so in the next three years) about the features that they would like in a home and a community. 

Figure 1 displays the top 10 most wanted technology features as well as the share of home buyers who currently have each particular feature.

Figure 1 also shows that three of the four most wanted features are security-related: along with a security camera, a video doorbell and a wireless home security system are wanted by at least 40 percent of home buyers. However, at most 21 percent of home buyer currently have any one of these technology features installed, indicating that there is market growth potential for these items. In contrast, about the same share of home buyers who want a programmable thermostat (44 percent) have one already installed (41 percent).

Four other home technology features are desired by at least a third of buyers: a multi-zone HVAC system (39 percent), a lighting control system (36 percent), and a wireless home audio system and central vacuum system (both wanted by 33 percent of home buyers). An energy management system/display and a smart washer/dryer (controlled remotely) are wanted by 31 percent of home buyers each.  Few home buyers currently have any of these items (14 percent of home buyers at most), which also indicates that there is room for growth in these product areas.