6 Modern Features Syracuse Buyers Are Starting To Avoid + 3 They’ve Always Skipped
Homebuyers in Syracuse are rethinking what really matters in a home. Flashy trends that once grabbed attention are starting to lose their appeal, while certain features have never gained traction with this market to begin with.
Practicality, comfort, and long-term value are driving decisions now more than ever.
What are buyers backing away from – and what have they consistently left behind? The answers say a lot about how Syracuse lives, works, and invests in homeownership today.
1. Open Concept Everything
Remember when knocking down every wall was the ultimate home upgrade? Syracuse buyers are now seeking more defined spaces instead of one giant room where cooking smells travel everywhere.
Families want places to retreat when someone’s watching TV too loudly or kids need homework quiet. The pandemic taught us that sometimes, doors and walls aren’t just barriers – they’re sanity savers.
2. All-White Kitchens
The pristine white kitchen trend is losing its sparkle among Syracuse homebuyers. Those gleaming white cabinets, countertops, and backsplashes show every speck of dirt and tomato sauce splash.
Practical buyers are gravitating toward warmer woods, two-tone cabinets, and surfaces that don’t require constant wiping. With Syracuse’s snowy winters, many prefer kitchen spaces that feel cozy rather than clinical.
3. Overly Large Master Suites
Massive master bedrooms that sacrifice other living spaces are falling out of favor. Syracuse buyers are questioning the value of bedroom square footage that often goes unused.
What’s the point of a bedroom sitting area when you’re mostly there to sleep? Buyers prefer homes where square footage is distributed more evenly throughout. Reasonably sized bedrooms paired with larger common areas make more sense for most families.
4. High-Maintenance Landscaping
Elaborate gardens and fussy landscaping are wilting in popularity. Syracuse’s harsh winters and short growing season make high-maintenance yards a tough sell.
Today’s buyers prefer low-maintenance native plants and hardscaping that looks good year-round. Who wants to spend precious summer weekends weeding when you could be enjoying Lake Ontario? Practical outdoor spaces with minimal upkeep requirements are winning the curb appeal contest.
5. Smart Tech Overload
Homes where everything requires an app and a Wi-Fi connection are starting to frustrate rather than impress. Syracuse buyers are wary of systems that might become obsolete or incompatible within years.
Basic smart features like programmable thermostats are welcome, but refrigerators that need software updates? Not so much. Buyers are seeking the sweet spot between convenient technology and reliable functionality that won’t strand them when the internet goes down.
6. Bold Accent Walls And Trendy Paint Colors
Those dramatic navy blue dining rooms and emerald green kitchens are causing buyer hesitation. Vivid wall colors that seemed Instagram-worthy a few years ago now read as immediate repainting projects.
Syracuse house hunters prefer neutral palettes they can live with while settling in. While paint is relatively easy to change, buyers still calculate the time and cost involved. Subtle, timeless colors are making the strongest first impressions.
7. Formal Living Rooms
Syracuse families have long questioned dedicating precious square footage to a room used twice a year. Formal living rooms often become awkward spaces filled with furniture nobody sits on.
Buyers consistently prefer flexible spaces that serve multiple functions – home offices, playrooms, or hobby areas. The pandemic accelerated this shift as people needed homes to accommodate everything from remote work to at-home workouts.
8. Jetted Bathtubs
Those massive jetted tubs that dominated 1990s master bathrooms continue to bubble to the bottom of buyer wish lists. Syracuse homeowners have discovered these water-guzzlers rarely get used and are cleaning nightmares.
Walk-in showers with multiple spray heads or rainfall features rank much higher on desirability scales. Practical buyers recognize they’ll use a great shower daily, while a jetted tub might become an expensive clothes-folding surface.
9. Converted Garages As Living Space
Syracuse winters make garage conversions particularly unpopular. No matter how nicely finished, a former garage used as a family room or bedroom signals car-scraping mornings and snow-covered driveways to potential buyers.
With lake effect snow a reality of Syracuse life, protected parking isn’t a luxury – it’s practically essential. Homes where garages have been sacrificed for living space often sit longer on the market and fetch lower offers.
