The One Home Layout Real Estate Experts Say Can Lower Your Property Value In 2026

Though higher interest rates and inflation are making for a difficult housing market, your home is still one of the biggest financial assets you can attain in your life. As such, you will want to make improvements to it over your course of ownership so that your home gives a good return on investment if and when you decide to sell. If you are planning on selling your home in 2026, you might want to take a good look at its layout, as there is one rather surprising variety that experts say can actually lower your property value.

Despite trends showing that homeowners are moving away from open-concept layouts in favor of a closed-concept home, buyer trends show something completely different. According to expert real estate advisor Holly Erker, via The Spruce, "The top feature likely to lower your home's value in 2026 is a closed-off floor plan... Buyers in 2026 want open, flexible, and multi-use spaces... When a home feels chopped up, buyers see projects — not potential."

Open spaces provide buyers with a visual of what kinds of personality and designs they can bring to their new home. Closed-off spaces, by contrast, tend to have a darker, more confined feeling that offers very little in the way of flexibility. This is in spite of the fact that a closed-off home may have extensive square footage. It's just not open enough to pique buyer imaginations.

It's not all bad news when you understand that buyers in 2026 are not looking for entirely open-concept floor plans either. Instead, they want a mix of private, closed spaces and open, welcoming spaces. Erker, again speaking to The Spruce, explains that buyers want "kitchens connected to living areas, larger multipurpose rooms, open-concept great rooms, big kitchen islands, and spaces that support work-from-home or entertaining."

To boil it down, buyers are looking for open entertaining and gathering spaces while also blending the personal privacy that closed-off rooms can bring. One such space that can actually increase the value of your home is a dedicated workspace or home office. Remote work isn't going anywhere anytime soon. As such, building in a private workspace is definitely a good investment, as they provide a well-defined split between spaces for gathering and spaces for work. 

There are other private spaces that will also benefit your ROI. Though some might find them dated, many owners and buyers are seeing the value in full dining rooms that are separated from the kitchen. Erker also suggests making small corrections to a closed-off space by widening doorways, using glass to create openness, and finding ways to maximize natural light with brightly painted walls and mirrors that bounce light from windows. Doing this can help potential buyers see potential in your home, as opposed to endless projects.