Americans are investing more time in their self-care, both for their mental and physical health. According to a 2025 study by the American Psychiatric Association, 59% of people report being anxious about their health, making it a top concern behind covering bills and expenses.
This focus on health is spreading through various aspects of American lives, including living arrangements. Home buyers are increasingly concerned with how a property can support their health to make life better and more enjoyable.
Use this guide to understand wellness design and how real estate agents can market properties that appeal to health-conscious buyers. From spa bathroom ideas to home gym staging tips, you can make an average house feel like an inviting utopia.
Why Wellness-Driven Home Design Matters in 2025
Industry professionals have tracked real estate wellness trends since the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout 2020, property owners were spending more time in their homes and started customizing their living spaces to accommodate their health and lifestyle needs. Many of these upgrades and trends have stuck.
For example, 29% of exercisers purchased equipment for home use because of the pandemic. As of 2023, 51% of exercisers say they still prefer at-home workouts.
Realtors and interior designers have seen a significant shift toward health, comfort, and at-home self-care in property upgrades. Buyers increasingly want their living spaces to be peaceful and promote healthy living. These desires are reinforced by the lasting preference to work from home. When people spend their entire workdays in their homes, they want their properties to fully accommodate their needs.
Real estate agents can showcase calming home design elements and amenities built to support buyer health. Keeping up with trends in wellness and real estate can help agents attract offers for their clients and close deals faster and easier. Here are a few ways to market properties with health-conscious buyers in mind.
Showcase Indoor Air Quality Home Features
Humans are growing increasingly aware of the dangers of air pollution, which includes indoor air. Not only can low-quality air make breathing difficult for kids, the elderly, and the immunocompromised, but it can also have negative long-term respiratory effects on otherwise healthy adults.
Real estate agents can highlight the quality of the air for buyers during showings. Here are a few tips to help buyers breathe easier:
- Show off high-efficiency HVAC systems with any HEPA filtration and air purification add-ons installed.
- Leave out any plants and air-purifying greenery (living walls, indoor planters) as part of your staging efforts.
- Avoid candles and plug-in air fresheners that push smells into the air. These cause discomfort in people with sensitivities and may convince buyers that you are hiding an unwanted odor.
- Strive for a natural smell in your showing experience. This way, buyers can feel confident they aren’t buying a house with unwanted mold and mildew.
The nose is an incredibly powerful organ and sets the first impression in a home. Clean air free of odors is one of the best ways to start off a showing on a positive note.
Help Your Buyers Embrace Biophilic Design
Biophilic design seeks to connect people with nature within their homes. The idea is to create a living environment that is peaceful and safe, while incorporating elements that people would find on a hike or immersed in the outdoors. Biophilic interior design doesn’t have to be complicated. Home sellers might accentuate their natural elements before listing a home or make design upgrades to embrace a more biophilic experience.
Here are a few elements of biophilic design excellence:
- Natural light: Open, clean windows that let in the sun can immediately change how a space feels.
- Natural materials in home design: Incorporate elements like wood, stone, clay, and linen in design choices. This can be elevated by choosing elements found in nature regionally (like colors and materials that can be found in nearby forests).
- Water features: Both indoor and outdoor fountains can add zen elements to a space.
- Organic colors: Embrace Earth tones, textures, and other colors found outside the window.
Not every house is fully immersed in the woods or has ample natural light. Some homeowners and agents may need to get creative and add visual connections to the outdoors in their spaces. Photos of natural scenes and elements like potted plants, desktop fountains, and earthy textures may be necessary to add a biophilic feel to an existing floor plan.
For many homeowners, physical fitness is one of the most important factors of living a healthy lifestyle. Real estate agents can showcase the walkability of communities, nearby parks for hiking, and other recreational areas within a neighborhood. This can win over buyers on a particular home before they even set foot on the property.
There are also ways to promote interior wellness design to make a potential house feel like a dream home. Here are a few ways to show that a particular space was designed for physical activity.
- Promote dedicated fitness zones. More buyers want quality home gyms with space for equipment and enough room to work out. They are no longer content with an exercise bike in the living room or a few weights in the basement. Let buyers know if the floor plan is designed with a gym in mind.
- Embrace staging elements. If the homeowner doesn’t have a home gym, make one. Create spaces for movement using staging elements that showcase how a room could be used. Adding mirrors, rubber flooring, free weights, and calming lighting can all contribute to a gym space.
- Consider how rooms are converted. Few homes are constructed with dedicated home gyms. Instead, homeowners often convert their garages, basements, or guest rooms into workout areas. Get creative with interior design and showcase how an extra space could be perfect for physical activity.
Agents can also use small indicators to showcase that a house is ideal for someone who cares about their health. For example, staging a space with a bicycle storage rack can help buyers envision themselves on trails or commuting to work on a bike instead of driving.
Develop Spa Bathrooms and Restorative Spaces
Wellness design can be found throughout the home, even in smaller rooms. Spa bathrooms are increasingly popular, with homeowners investing in vanities and features that allow them to wash off the stress of the day. This wellness architecture appeals to people who want to protect their mental health and overall well-being by destressing after a long day. Here are a few ways to showcase bathrooms designed to lower stress levels.
- Promote any soaking tubs, steam showers, rainfall shower heads, or heated floors. These are desirable upgrades that can win over buyers.
- Embrace minimalist styling for mental clarity. Don’t overclutter a space with extra towels, plants, and other elements.
- Let in the natural daylight. Soft light elements can make a space feel more relaxing.
- Add sound-absorbing rugs and acoustic insulation to create peaceful, calm spaces. The bathroom doesn’t have to echo.
- Showcase any natural stone or eco-friendly fixtures. This can make people feel good about the bathroom designs.
Avoid relying on aromatherapy features to create a calming space. Diffusers or candles might seem relaxing, but they can quickly become overpowering. Instead, place a bar or bottle of soap and lotion for guests to use to wash their hands, along with a fluffy towel to dry them. This way, potential buyers can decide whether they want to add an aromatic accent to the tour.
Consider Smart Wellness Technology
An important part of developing healthy homes in 2025 is to consider smart home wellness technology. Studies show 70% of buyers are looking for smart homes, and 78% are willing to pay more for homes with smart devices. Adding connected elements can create a sense of comfort for buyers while also showcasing various amenities.
Examples of wellness-focused smart technology include lights that change color based on circadian rhythms, air and humidity sensors, and smart blinds for sleep improvement. Some homeowners might even have meditation pods and other mindfulness technology to make relaxation easier.
While this tech can interest buyers, agents should confirm whether or not sellers plan to move with the tech. Some homeowners might prefer to move with their smart blinds or sensory lights instead of installing new ones in their future homes.
Bring Wellness Design Outdoors
Outdoor living spaces surged alongside home offices and gyms during the COVID-19 pandemic, and buyers continue to seek accommodations with patios, porches, and backyards to relax in. One survey found nearly 90% of homeowners view their outdoor living space as an important part of their health and well-being. Approximately 45% of people regularly use their outdoor areas to relax.
Sellers and real estate agents can attract buyers with outdoor living options. They can set up chairs and tables to promote social interaction or hang hammocks for occupant comfort. Staged outdoor areas should offer shade, privacy, and relaxation options.
These outdoor areas can also reflect the hobbies of residents or potential buyers. Agents might stage a gardening area where residents can nurture flowers or grow their own fruits and vegetables. They might highlight how an area is perfect for an outdoor shower or sauna.
Consider the multi-use nature of outdoor living. In temperate areas, buyers can use their outdoor spaces for reading, cooking, gardening, or napping in fresh air. The staging you choose for a backyard or patio doesn’t have to focus on a specific activity.
Staging and Selling a Home With Wellness Architecture
There are several ways to invest in wellness staging in real estate to attract buyers without significantly changing house plans. Consider the existing natural strengths of the house and highlight these features. This way, you won’t have to actively create areas that promote healthy well-being. Here are a few universal design principles for good staging with a wellness-focused eye.
- Consider the lighting. Use natural light when possible and incorporate gentle lighting to photograph the space.
- Feature wellness elements. Make sure the spa details, green views, and comfort amenities are featured in the photos. Illustrate the value they provide in the listing description.
- Review potential features that would attract buyers. Both sellers and listing agents should review these elements and make sure they are emphasized.
- Create an emotional impact for showings. Embrace small task lights and soft music to let buyers know they have entered a wellness area.
- Suggest simple upgrades and small projects for sellers. Review the best wellness features to add before selling that can have an impact without costing too much.
Knowing how to stage your home for health-conscious buyers can help you attract the right people to your property. While good design can bring people to your home, small details through staging can win them over. Some agents might even offer buyers healthy food options, like a fresh fruit platter, when they tour the house, to showcase how the home is designed with wellness in mind.
Understanding Buyer Segments of Wellness-Driven Homes
Wellness buyers aren’t a monolith. They come from a variety of backgrounds and have certain preferences based on their lifestyles. While this guide is useful for understanding what buyers want in a wellness home in 2025, it helps to focus on your specific buyers and potential target audiences. Here are a few types of people who prioritize wellness in their home searches.
- Younger buyers: according to a report by McKinsey & Company, 56% of Gen Z consumers consider fitness a “very high priority,” compared to 40% of all consumers. These buyers are also more focused on mental health.
- Remote workers: people who work from home spend 40 more hours a week in their houses than their in-office counterparts. They might even spend more time at home because they don’t lose several hours each week to a commute. These workers are often heavily focused on their home amenities because they have more time to enjoy them.
- Retirees and empty-nesters: older Americans are prioritizing their health to combat the effects of aging. Those who are retired have more time to spend at home and will become less mobile as they age. Wellness-focused homes can help people age in place and maintain their independence.
- New parents: buyers with small kids may be concerned about the built environment in a home. They want clean indoor air quality and non-toxic materials for kids. These buyers might also look for fenced-in backyards within floor plans so kids can play outside safely.
It’s possible to market your home to multiple health-conscious buyers at once, but ask your agent if there is a specific audience you should focus on. The buyers in your area might meet certain demographics, and staging a nature-focused nursery or relaxing home office could win people over.
How FastExpert Agents Can Stand Out
Buyers and sellers are both increasingly health-conscious, which is good news for real estate agents who know how to market themselves to these clients. Realtors can showcase their wellness design knowledge on their FastExpert profiles or provide insight into how they pair the right buyers with their future dream homes. FastExpert provides ample space to discuss listing specialties, which is a great way to win over potential clients.
Outside of FastExpert, agents can grow their businesses by collaborating with local wellness brands (like home spa installers or gym contractors) and getting involved with healthy living groups. The people you enjoy sunrise yoga with this weekend could be your future customers.
See how FastExpert showcases real estate agents across the United States. You can grow your wellness-focused business by finding customers that perfectly fit your niche.