Pet Turf? In-Unit Laundry? Which Amenities Do Renters Really Want?

"An analysis of millions of rental listings found that people more often saved and shared units with practical and communal amenities over luxury offerings.

Rental listings come with all sorts of amenities, from basic parking spots to at-home IV drips and car elevators. But which do renters want the most? Not the luxurious ones, according to a recent report from Zillow.

After analyzing 5.6 million rental listings on Zillow between June 2023 and May 2024, including apartment buildings and single-family houses, researchers found that certain amenities and features spurred users to save and share more listings on the platform than others.

Most renters were interested in basic perks like parking and in-unit laundry. (Researchers noted that higher-end renters tend to expect a package of amenities that includes these basics, whereas other renters need to pick and choose, “so while some features may appear to be less in demand with this analysis, they typically do not stand on their own.”)

Listings with off-street parking — the most desired amenity of all — had 85 percent more saves and 103 percent more shares per day on Zillow than similar units without it. 

Rentals with in-unit laundry and turfed pet areas both had around 76 percent more shares and 91 percent more saves than comparable units without them.

 Other amenities in the top 10 included design preferences (butcher block countertops, barn doors) and community perks (like tenant happy hours).

Renters were less drawn to units in buildings offering luxury amenities, such as gyms and business centers. Listings with an advertised gym got 26 percent fewer saves and 31 percent fewer shares than comparable units without them. Business centers resulted in around 24 percent fewer saves. Splashy amenities, like pools and pickleball courts, were also less popular, receiving 13 and 14 percent fewer shares and 10 percent fewer saves than comparable units.

Co-working spaces were more appealing, with around 16 percent more saves than rentals without them. Practical wants, like air filtration and finished basements, were also important to renters. The two amenities each generated 72 percent more saves, with the latter yielding 112 percent more shares." [1]

1. Pet Turf? In-Unit Laundry? Which Amenities Do Renters Really Want?: Calculator. Yan, Matt. New York Times (Online) New York Times Company. Oct 10, 2024.