by Mike Colpitts 
More than half of those surveyed say hosting Thanksgiving dinner influences home buying decisions.
- The Realtor.com survey found that hosting Thanksgiving played a vital role in searching for a new home.
- Younger generations were especially focused on more room to roam in their new homes when prioritizing rooms in a home.
More than half of U.S. adults say hosting Thanksgiving dinner influences home buying, with Generation Z prioritizing big kitchens and larger gathering spaces.
More than half of (52%) Americans surveyed in a Realtor.com study say that hosting Thanksgiving dinner played a vital role in their most recent home search. The holiday best known for over-indulging and eating too much turkey, pie and all the fixins’ is of major importance to most Americans and having the right place to celebrate is vital.
Younger generations are particularly focused on hosting in a large enough space. A large majority of 60% of Generation Z and 60% of Millennials say Thanksgiving factored into their home buying decisions, compared to just 47% of Gen X and 30% of Baby Boomers. That means that for many younger buyers, being home for the holidays starts with having enough room to host the holiday comfortably.
Having enough room and the right features can tip the scales when it comes to finding the right house. When asked what would make them more willing to welcome guests, ample space topped the list. A large family room (92%) and big kitchens (92%) were tied as the top motivators. Kitchens have historically been selected as the most important room in any home since it is where families gather, prepare meals, and eat, especially during the holiday season.
Having a good size home is traditionally regarded as a place to enjoy the holidays with lots of room for festivities and plenty of room to roam, including the family room and even bar to let the good times roll. Top features selected by those surveyed include having a large dining room (86%), guest room (87%), guest bathroom (87%) and large outdoor space (76%).
When it comes to whether a home should have an extra bedroom or extra bathroom, those surveyed were split. Almost half (44%) would rather have a spare bedroom, while nearly an equal share (45%) say they’d prefer an extra bathroom. Gen Z stands out as the only group leaning toward an extra bathroom (48%) over bedroom (39%).
When it comes to “Brown Friday,” which is also known as Black Friday the busy day after Thanksgiving when plumbing systems are put to the test, respondents say the ideal number of bathrooms in a home should be much more. Homes with three or more people agree that three bathrooms is the magic number.
It’s actually very interesting how important Thanksgiving dinner influences home buying, and it may say a lot about the significance of the holiday. Generally, the more bedrooms and more bathrooms in a home, the happier families will be when family and friends are visiting. Happy Thanksgiving!