Most builders reported that they will likely include a master bedroom walk-in closet in new homes they build in 2016, according to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders. Laundry rooms and great rooms were also considered to be popular features.

A survey issued in December asked builders in the United States about the likelihood that they will include certain features in a typical new single-family home. Rose Quint, summarizing the findings for the NAHB blog Eye on Housing, says respondents were asked to rate how likely they were to include a feature on a scale of one to five.

Master bedroom walk-in closets earned an average rating of 4.9. Laundry rooms had an average rating of 4.8, while great rooms—defined as a space incorporating the kitchen, living room, and family room—had an average rating of 4.7.

Among the most popular features identified by respondents, many were designed to improve a home's energy efficiency. These included low emissivity windows (4.7), Energy Star rated appliances (4.5), a programmable thermostat (4.5), and Energy Star rated windows (4.4).

Kitchen features were also popular, with builders giving an average rating of 4.4 for the likelihood of installing either granite countertops or a central island. Tall ceilings rounded out the most popular features, with respondents giving a rating of 4.5 for their likelihood to have first floor ceilings with a height of nine feet or higher.

Builders were least likely to say they would install cork flooring in the living areas of the main level, with this feature getting an average rating of just 1.3. A pet washing station was the next most unlikely item to appear in a new home, earning an average rating of 1.6.

Respondents expected certain outdoor features to be rare in their 2016 projects. Outdoor kitchens had an average rating of 1.9, while outdoor fireplaces had an average score of 2.2.

Two-story rooms were also among the least popular features. A two-story family room had an average score of 2.2, while a two-story foyer had an average score of 2.5.

Other features builders identified as least likely to appear in new single-family homes built in 2016 included laminated countertops in the kitchen (1.7), a sunroom (2.2), and a media room (2.5).

The results show that expectations for new homes have not changed significantly since last year. In a December 2014 survey, builders identified a master bedroom walk-in closet, a laundry room, and low emissivity windows as the most likely features they would include in a new single-family home.

Outdoor kitchens had the lowest score in the December 2014, with an average of 1.9. Builders also said they were unlikely to include outdoor fireplaces, sunrooms, two-story family rooms, or media rooms in homes built in 2015.