Fifty-six percent of consumers in the United States and United Kingdom admit to being jealous of other people’s homes, according to a survey of more than 1,000 conducted by bathroom retailer QS Supplies. Millennials are the generation greenest with envy at 60.8% compared to 53.8% of Gen Xers and 37.9% of baby boomers. “More likely, millennials are moved to envy by the proliferation of social media,” researchers say.
Overall, home size evoked the most consumer envy, with 26% of survey respondents citing such. The second-most envied home feature was the kitchen. “A good-looking kitchen is one of the key features to help sell a home, encouraging buyers to put their money where their envy is, so it’s no surprise that this room was mentioned often by our respondents,” the researchers note.
Jealousy has prompted some homeowners to take on home improvement projects. Thirty-five percent of survey respondents say they did a home improvement project after feeling jealous about someone else’s home. The most common upgrades were interior design, furnishings, interior paint, cleaning, or kitchen updates.
Most consumers’ feelings of jealousy stem from a friend (43.8%), the survey finds. Other common reasons for jealousy include:
- The influence of a friend: 43.8%
- The influence of an immediate family member: 28.7%
- A social media influencer: 27.5%
- A colleague: 21.7%
- An ex-partner: 9.2%
Watching TV also prompted envious feelings among 67% of respondents. The top American show to cause home envy is HGTV’s “House Hunters,” according to the survey. On social media, Instagram was the main culprit for sparking house jealousy. Thirty-two percent of survey respondents say they experienced home envy while using their Instagram account.
Source: “Do You Envy the Joneses?” QS Supplies (2020)
