Homebuyers are heeding nature’s call, with earth-inspired tones, natural materials, and lush outdoor spaces rising to the top of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate’s 2026 trends report.
Ginger Wilcox
“Homeownership remains one of life’s most monumental transactions, and today buyers are approaching that life goal with new expectations,” BHGRE Brand President Ginger Wilcox said in a written statement. “This report explores how those evolving preferences are shaping the market. High barriers to entry have created a generation of buyers who know what they want and won’t settle for less. These insights can help sellers and agents make design and presentation choices that resonate with modern buyers who are eager but increasingly discerning.”
The leading trend of 2026 is ‘The New Starter Home,’ which is influenced by an aging first-time homebuyer cohort. The National Association of Realtors reported in November that the median age of a first-time homebuyer reached an all-time high of 40, a 180-degree change from the 1980s when the typical first-timer was in their late 20s.
An older cohort brings higher standards for what a starter home should be, the report said, with first-time buyers focusing on their emotional connection to a home, alongside lifestyle fit and a thoughtful, multifaceted design. Affordability still matters, with 60% of survey respondents saying price and location remain the leading factors in their buying decision.
Adaptable layouts (80%), large windows (63%), and hybrid rooms (55%) are also priorities, as buyers seek an abode that offers freedom, flexibility, and connection. As a result, BHGRE said homebuyers are favoring listings with indoor-outdoor hybrid spaces (71%) and plenty of natural light and openness (62%), which can be achieved through retro room dividers and glass walls.
“Lighting deserves a full design plan of its own,” Better Homes & Gardens Senior Home Editor Lauren Bengtson said in the report. “I think we’ll see a renaissance of the room divider, like the cool, architectural ones from the 60s and 70s, but made more modern. I’ve been seeing several homes with interior glass walls that create separation without inhibiting the light—they create an incredible sense of uniqueness.”
Striking neutrals, expert craftsmanship, and stunning landscaping are also major trends for 2026, with BHGRE announcing Calming Coastal Blue and Soft Stone Gray as the interior and exterior Colors of the Year. The report said the colors reflect consumers’ need to create calming spaces that still have a bit of personality.
“These shades that reflect the closeness with nature, and I think that’s where you see a little bit of a difference from the Pantone color,” she said of the color solution company’s controversial 2026 pick, Cloud Dancer. “When I look at that Pantone color, that’s about a neutral that can be used in lots of different places, but can be augmented by colors that add that emotional warmth and connection.”
“That’s perhaps what’s missing from the context of the Pantone is, is what goes and is surrounded and combined with it around it?” she added. “During our survey, we actually showed consumers Pantone swatches and [our Colors of the Year] are what they chose. It all comes back to creating a grounding feeling that helps a space feel like home.”
Wilcox said BHGRE has integrated the report into its 2026 agent playbook, which will help brokerage affiliates understand how to leverage these trends in their day-to-day businesses.
“Our focus is on helping agents continue to be experts in our craft, and a big part of that is being able to help their clients understand how these trends ultimately help people make financial decisions,” she said. “We actually have developed a playbook, which is a companion to the trends report, which gives agents insights into specific business strategies relating to segments of the market, like how to stage, how to market, even how to negotiate differently based on the elements in the home.”
“It also helps them think about how to reframe homes based on different sizes, so not necessarily just focusing on something being a three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,500 square feet, but how a buyer will actually live in that home and showcasing that,” she added. “It’s about helping people envision the life they might live in the homes they’re looking at.”
