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2023’s top Zillow search terms in Philadelphia

Zillow analyzed billions of search queries to come up with the top terms that users of its website looked for in 2023. In Philadelphia, the most popular terms related to space, comfort, and style.

"Street parking" was the No. 1 search term in Philadelphia on Zillow last year. Here, Philadelphia Parking Authority enforcement officer R. Gesior tickets a truck on Filbert Street in 2022.
"Street parking" was the No. 1 search term in Philadelphia on Zillow last year. Here, Philadelphia Parking Authority enforcement officer R. Gesior tickets a truck on Filbert Street in 2022.Read moreMONICA HERNDON / Staff Photographer

Searching for home features and amenities on a real estate listing website can be a way for serious home buyers to narrow down their options or just a fun way for people to spend some free time.

And Americans were doing plenty of both last year.

Zillow analyzed more than 250 billion search queries to come up with the top terms that its website users looked for in 2023.

In Philadelphia — a place that the National Association of Realtors chose as a top market to watch for home sales in 2024 — the most popular search terms on Zillow’s website related to space, comfort, and style.

» READ MORE: Parking, walk-in closets, and these other key features in home listings attract buyers (From 2021)

The city’s No. 1 search term was street parking, which isn’t much of a surprise given that parking can be a hot commodity depending on the neighborhood. But it wasn’t just a Philly thing. Across the country, garage was the most-searched home amenity on Zillow’s website.

Second and fifth on Philadelphia’s top-five list of search terms were basement and finished basement, reflecting searchers’ desire for space in their homes.

Philadelphia’s third most popular search term was central air-conditioning, which is far from a given in a city with old housing stock. Climate control systems for cooling and heating were in the top three search terms in 22 out of 30 cities Zillow analyzed.

And an enduring favorite was Philadelphia’s No. 4 most popular search term: hardwood floors.

Nationwide, after garage, the most popular search terms were backyard, fireplace, walk-in closet, and patio, according to Zillow.

Top search terms varied widely by city. In Atlanta, a lot of people were looking for double vanities, which a Coldwell Banker Real Estate amenity guide for wealthy homeowners called both convenient and “the luxury standard in primary bathrooms.”

In Miami and New York, searchers prioritized fitness areas and gyms. People searching in San Antonio, Texas, wanted eat-in kitchens. In Seattle, mountain views, city views, and water views were among the top-five search terms.

Zillow’s search data came from a feature it started offering last year that is powered by artificial intelligence and allows users to search for homes in a conversational way.