According to a new Realtor.com survey, 52 per cent of US adults say hosting Thanksgiving dinner played at least some role in their most recent home search, highlighting how holiday traditions influence major purchasing decisions.
The survey revealed a significant generational divide in hosting priorities.
Both Gen Z and Millennials (60 per cent each) factored Thanksgiving entertaining into their housing decisions, while only 47 per cent of Gen X and 30 per cent of Baby Boomers considered it important.
When it comes to features that would make Americans more willing to host Thanksgiving, space consistently outranked specialty amenities.
A large family room and big kitchen tied as the top motivators at 92 per cent each, followed closely by a guest bathroom (87 per cent) and large dining room (86 per cent).
More specialised features like double ovens, often considered essential for holiday cooking, were deemed less critical.
Only 61 per cent of respondents said this would increase their willingness to host, and just 12 per cent considered it a “must-have” feature.
The survey also explored year-round guest accommodation preferences, finding Americans evenly split between wanting an extra bedroom (44 per cent) or an additional bathroom (45 per cent).
Gen Z was the only demographic that preferred an extra bathroom (48 per cent) over a spare bedroom (39 per cent).
For everyday living and holiday hosting, bathroom count emerged as a practical consideration that scales with household size.
Respondents from one and two-person households indicated two bathrooms as ideal, while homes with three or more residents preferred having three bathrooms.
The findings suggest that for many Americans, especially younger generations, the concept of “home for the holidays” begins with having adequate space to welcome family and friends.
Whether Americans are ready to host or not, the right home features can tip the scales,” noted the Realtor.com report.
