First-Floor Suites, Mudrooms and Porches: What New Homes Look Like Now
Architects say buyers want homes they can live in for decades. Here is how that plays out in the Boston suburbs.
Bob Wiltse, REALTOR®
Research & Writing Assistant: Claude.ai
October 8, 2026
If you are shopping for a new home, the floor plan matters as much as the price. A new national survey of architects shows where the industry is headed. It tracks new home design trends Massachusetts buyers want: a bedroom suite on the main floor, a real mudroom, and more outdoor space.
This is not breaking news. It is a look at a new survey and what it means for you.
What architects are seeing
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) released its third-quarter Home Design Trends Survey on September 21. AIA said homeowners want "to spend time outside" and demand for outdoor living spaces rose 10% since 2025.
Forbes reported the survey's details, comparing 2025 with 2026:
First-floor primary suites: 45% to 52%
Wider doorways and halls: 39% to 47%
Space for more than one generation: 49% to 53%
Mudrooms and drop zones: 21% to 30%
Sunrooms and three-season porches: 6% to 25%
Outdoor living areas: 40% to 51%
EV charging at home: 72% to 77%
Some things cooled off. Forbes said guest suites and in-law suites fell from 46% to 34%. Solar panels dropped from 29% to 23%, and net-zero homes fell from 13% to 5%. Forbes tied part of that drop to expired federal rebates.
What a "first-floor primary suite" means
A primary suite is the main bedroom with its own bath and closet. Putting it on the first floor means you never have to climb stairs to get to bed. Wider halls and doors make it easier to move a stroller, walker, or large furniture. Builders call this "aging in place." It means a home that still works for you at 75.
National vs. Massachusetts vs. the Boston suburbs
Age. Nationally, 18.0% of people are 65 or older; in Massachusetts, 18.7%, according to America's Health Rankings using 2024 Census data. In Middlesex County, the Census Bureau reports 18.0%. So the need for one-floor living is at least as strong here as anywhere.
Outdoor space. New England builds outdoor living differently. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says only 17.4% of new homes started nationally in 2024 had decks. In New England, about 69% did, the highest of any region. Patios go the other way. NAHB reports 60.5% of new U.S. homes in 2025 had a patio, but just 26% in New England. My read: our hilly lots, ledge, and frost likely push builders toward decks and three-season porches you can use from April to November.
Home size. Space is not a problem in the Boston suburbs. In my MLS PIN search of single-family homes built in 2026 and sold in Middlesex County over the past six months, the median home had 3,789 square feet and sold for $1,790,000. A home that big likely has room for a first-floor suite. The question is whether the builder included one.
In-law space. Nationally, guest and in-law suites cooled. In Massachusetts, the ADU law went a different way. An ADU, or accessory dwelling unit, is a small second home on the same lot. The state says 2,084 ADUs were approved from the start of 2025 through June 2026. Lowell led with 53. Billerica and Milton had 24 each.
One-level condos. In Woburn, PulteGroup has proposed up to 504 condos for buyers 55 and older on the former Atlantic Gelatin site. The Woburn Daily Times Chronicle reported in February that the Planning Board backed the zoning change. The plan calls for elevator buildings with one- and two-bedroom homes. I could not confirm a final City Council vote. Projects like this likely exist because many local owners want to stay in town on one floor.
What it means for you
Walk the plan, not just the model. Ask where the primary suite is. If it is upstairs, ask if the builder offers a first-floor option.
Check the "someday" items. Look for a 36-inch door to the main bath, a step-free shower, and wall blocking for grab bars. These cost little during framing and much more later.
Count the mudroom. In a Massachusetts winter, a mudroom with hooks, a bench, and a closet earns its space daily.
Price the porch. You can often add a screened or three-season porch during the build for less than adding it later. Get it in writing before signing.
Plan for the car. Ask for a 240-volt outlet in the garage for an EV charger, even if you do not own an EV yet.
Think about an ADU. If you might want space for a parent or adult child, ask if the lot can fit one under the town's rules.
A new home is a chance to get the layout right the first time. It pays to know these trends before you meet the builder.
Have questions about a new home in Massachusetts? Contact Bob Wiltse, REALTOR®, eXp Realty. 978-793-1719 | bobwiltse.com
Sources
American Institute of Architects, "Residential architects are seeing continued growth in homeowner demand for flexible, adaptable accommodations," Sept. 21, 2026. https://www.aia.org/about-aia/press/residential-architects-are-seeing-continued-growth-homeowner-demand-flexible
Forbes (Jamie Gold), "Latest Architects' Survey Shares What's Hot And Not In American Homes," Sept. 29, 2026. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiegold/2026/09/29/latest-architects-survey-shares-whats-hot-and-not-in-american-homes/
America's Health Rankings, "Population Ages 65+ in Massachusetts" (Census data, 2024), accessed Oct. 8, 2026. https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/pct_65plus/MA
U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, accessed Oct. 8, 2026. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/csv/middlesexcountymassachusetts/PST040225
NAHB Eye on Housing, "Share of New Homes with Decks Edges Lower," Nov. 2025. https://eyeonhousing.org/2025/11/share-of-new-homes-with-decks-edges-lower/
NAHB Eye on Housing, "Share of New Homes with Patios Dips to a Six-Year Low," Sept. 2026. https://eyeonhousing.org/2026/09/share-of-new-homes-with-patios-dips-to-a-six-year-low/
Mass.gov (EOHLC), "More Than 2,000 ADUs Approved Under Governor Healey's Housing Bill," Aug. 12, 2026. https://www.mass.gov/news/more-than-2000-adus-approved-under-governor-healeys-housing-bill
Woburn Daily Times Chronicle (Patrick Blais), "Planning Board endorses TBOD zoning change for age-restricted housing," Feb. 18, 2026. https://homenewshere.com/daily_times_chronicle/news/woburn/article_725eb50e-10a8-4ad4-8531-1cb385bee6ef.html
Bob Wiltse, MLS PIN search: single-family homes built in 2026, sold in Middlesex County in the six months before late September 2026 (123 sales). Not a public link.
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