The healthfulness and wellness of a space are becoming more of a priority when shopping for a home. During the pandemic, more Americans have shown a desire for stronger ties to the outdoors with their homes and through outdoor community offerings.
After all, homes and communities can impact overall well-being, according to the Global Wellness Institute’s report “Resetting the World with Wellness: Healthy Built Environments for Healthy People.” The report notes that 80% to 90% of health outcomes depend upon the external and environmental factors in people’s “wellness ecosystem,” which includes a home and community.
In a pandemic world, home shopping for wellness is taking on greater importance. But what do Americans want from their community in this area? They’re placing higher importance on features like nature and open space, parks, trails, bike paths, and picnic areas.
In wave 2 of the America at Home Study, conducted in October 2020, consumers showed an increased level of importance for several such community features. In that study, more than 3,000 Americans were asked to think about buying or renting their next home and say which community features would most likely influence their decision. The following community features saw the most growth from an April 2020 survey to October 2020:
- Nature and open space hikes and activities
- Large parks with open fields and green space
- Controlled environment for safety, sanitization, maintenance
- Trails
- Gym/fitness facility
- Small neighborhood park with seating and playground areas
- Health and wellness clinic
- Picnic, BBQ, open-air pavilion
- Outdoor fitness space
- Pool (standard occupancy allowed anytime)
Source: “America at Home: Consumers Place More Importance on Well-Being,” BUILDER (April 6, 2021)
