Top property trends in the post-pandemic era

Home Renovation

Real Estate

Team MONEYME|19 July 2022| 3-minute read

Pandemics change the way we live and think about the spaces we make our own. After the Spanish flu people ditched tapestries for tiles and installed closets to keep things clean. 

Now, 100 years later COVID-19 has once again changed what we want in our homes. 

As restrictions ease and freedoms increase around Australia, what home design trends are set to outlast the pandemic?

Adaptable homes

For many it’s been a period of adjustment, getting used to working from home. People have needed to set up a space where they can be sure to get stuff done at work, but that also takes the edge off after a tough day “in the office.”

Now everyone wants adaptable spaces. Recent research out of Swinburne University showed Australians were after properties that had adequate space, digital connectivity, and flexible living areas.

From a spare bedroom that doubles as a home office to versatile living rooms, multi-purpose rooms are in high demand. The Swinburne study revealed a 14% gap between the number of 18-34-year-olds wanting to live in a four-bedroom house and the number that are actually available on the market.

Stone Real Estate Five Dock Director Christian Leung said “having a flexible garage that can double as a workshop”, and “two living spaces has been a big trend where there needs to be a living space that’s for the kids that is separate from the adults”.

Regional retreat or inner-city living?

Seascape, treescape, any escape from the city. During the pandemic, thousands of city dwellers swapped the CBD for the bush. 

Regional areas experienced a whopping net gain of 43,000 people in 2020, according to figures from the ABS.

But will demand for regional housing continue? Perhaps not. 

SQM Research suggests house prices in regional areas could start falling as early as next year. Adding to that, figures from CoreLogic show prices in the regions have already started easing back (September saw 1.7% growth, which was down from the huge 2.5% seen in March). 

Backyard bliss

For those who stayed in the cities, ongoing lockdowns inspired homeowners to transform their backyards into liveable outdoor spaces. Bigger decks and courtyards made for safe socialising in the fresh air while trampolines and small pools offered extra fun in the sun.

Leung has seen pools become increasingly sought after. “I think the first option is if there’s a pool that’s obviously top preference. And then if they get the perfect house, that has space to put in a pool – that’ll be the second preference.” 

Leung recently sold a 4 bedroom house in Five Dock for $2.9 million. “Having the pool there was the ultimate deal-breaker,” he said.

Veggies are here to stay 

Australians have been investing in their very own veggie garden to avoid rushing out to the shops to grab groceries. 

In 2020 Australians bought herbs and veggies by the truckload, with sales shooting up 27%, according to a Nursery Industry Statistics survey. Now that they have a taste for it, the veggie patch will remain a popular asset well beyond lockdowns. 

It wasn’t only outside the home, indoor plants also created a frenzy, transforming living rooms with resort-style decor. Indoor plants from ferns to lady palms jumped by 9% in sales in 2020. 

Learn how ListReady can help vendors position their property as a post-pandemic dream home.