As pet lovers nationwide celebrate National Pet Day [1] with their animal companions, new research from Zillow finds that many Gen Z adults would put their pets' needs ahead of those of their partners [2] and their kids — or future kids — if they were buying a home.
The survey found that 3 in 5 Gen Z adults — or 60% — consider certain pet-friendly features essential in a home they would buy. An estimated 48% think a fenced backyard is a must-have, compared to 28% who feel the same way about a double sink in the primary bathroom, or 35% who say a home office for their partner is essential.
Even fewer Gen Z adults would consider certain kid-friendly features, such as a playroom (24%) or outdoor play set (11%), to be essential.
If they were buying a home and had to choose, a majority of Gen Z pet owners say it's more important to have a pet-friendly home (55%) than a kid-friendly home (45%). More than 1 in 5 Gen Z pet owners — or 22%— would want to move out of their current home if it was no longer working for their pet. Meanwhile, just 12% said they would want to move if their home was no longer working for their partner.
"Young adults may be delayed parenthood, but they're not putting off pet parenthood," said Zillow's home trends expert Amanda Pendleton. "One recent study finds most Gen Z adults would rather have a pet than a child. As this younger generation ages into their home-buying years, it follows that their pets will have a greater influence on their moving decisions, perhaps more so than their significant other."
Pets have long been considered part of the American family, but even more people became pet parents throughout the pandemic. Zillow's Consumer Housing Trends Report [3] finds that 73% of homebuyers have at least one pet at home, a big jump from the 64% of homebuyers who reported having a pet in 2020.
Americans love their pets so much that 13% of pet owners who live with a significant other would rather share their primary bedroom with their pet than with their partner.
Pets can heavily impact home preferences. Previous Zillow research [4] found that pet owners are more likely to buy larger homes with more bedrooms. Homebuyers with pets also are more likely to consider private outdoor space very or extremely important (73%) compared to those without pets (65%).
Spring home shoppers can expect more competition for homes with pet-friendly features, even in a less frenzied housing market. Zillow's research [5] finds listings that mention a fenced backyard can sell nearly three days faster than similar homes – faster than listings touting a playroom.
With rates rising and fewer new listings hitting the market, pet owners will need to act quickly if they want to nab a well-priced home with these desirable features for them and their animal companion.
To read the full report, including more data, charts and methodology, click here [2].