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17 Things Every Home Must Have, According to HGTV's 'House Hunters'

December 16, 2015

By: Lauren Oster

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Show: House Hunters

A solid foundation, sturdy walls, reliable utilities: All crucial, but the list hardly ends there. 'House Hunters' buyers have a different mantra: We want it all, and we want it under budget.

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Brown Walnut Floors in Kitchen with Black Lower Cabinets

Photo: Principle Design & Construction. From: Principle Design and Construction

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Hardwood Floors

Veneer or laminate flooring might be acceptable, but a home with wall-to-wall carpet? That’d be like wearing someone else’s socks.

An English Setter laying on the grass in the backyard

Photo: Alexey Stiop

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A Huge Yard (for the Dog)

It’s a simple veterinary fact that even tiny terriers need vast tracts of outdoor space if they’re really going to stretch their legs. An acre of land per pound of pooch sounds about right.

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The Perfect Paint Colors

Changing the color on the walls is one of the easiest ways to change a home...for other homeowners, that is. Your take: Unless you love raspberry walls, this one is off the list.

Photo: Jackson Design and Remodeling. From: Jackson Design and Remodeling

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A Chef's Kitchen

Working chefs’ stoves tend to be massive, less than aesthetically pleasing, and pretty beaten up, but that doesn’t stop the rest of us from insisting on "pro" kitchens. Look, fifty people could show up for dinner one of these days.

Large Rustic Open Kitchen With Long Granite Island and Countertops

Photo: Eric Perry ©

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Room for Entertaining

So what if you haven't had a party since your last college rager. The room makes the party, right?

Photo: PK architects. From: Andrew Flesher

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A Space that "Flows"

Modern living is complicated; who wants a room dedicated to just one thing? (Except the home office, of course.) Whether or not you believe in feng shui, you need an open floor plan. All that life energy needs to be free.

White Transitional Home Office With Built-In White Bookshelves

Photo: House of Jade Interiors. From: House of Jade Interiors

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A Home Office

Even if you don’t actually work from home, it’s important to accomplish office-ish tasks in a dedicated space. No one should have to e-file their taxes from the kitchen counter — even a chef’s kitchen counter.

Organized Floor-to-Ceiling Walk-In Closet

Photo: Frank Paul Perez. From: Mary Jo Fiorella

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Walk-In Closets

Trendy as it is to de-clutter and get rid of extraneous stuff, even ultra-minimalist organizing gurus can’t deny the beauty of storage. Cavernous closets are downright sexy.

Library with pool table and book shelves

From: Robert Brown

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A "Man Cave"

What home would be complete without space for framed athletic jerseys, taxidermy, overstuffed leather furniture, and table games? A home of sadness.

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An Eat-In Kitchen

Dining rooms are lovely for formal occasions, but for day-to-day munching, the eat-in kitchen — ideally, with a windowed nook that receives eastern light in the morning — is a must. Speaking of windowed nooks, it’s important to have...

Gray and White Bathroom With Oval Bathtub

Photo: Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers, a member of Luxury Portfolio International. From: Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers

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...A View (Preferably From the Tub)

The most luxurious bath on earth is the one you take in your own king-size tub...with a slight chance of being seen by neighbors, birdwatchers, or wildlife.

Contemporary White Bathroom With Subway Tile Backsplash

Photo: Jeff Troyer Associates. From: Jeff Troyer Associates

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Baths, Baths, and More (Full) Baths

It goes without saying that master bathrooms need double vanities and all the trimmings. Other WCs should be equally attractive — and there should be one of them for every member of the household.

Photo: Jim Tschetter. From: Linc Thelen Design

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Historic (But Not Too Historic) Details

A lovingly restored stained-glass window or an architectural flourish is ideal. Pre-war plumbing, on the other hand, is taking things a little too far.

A loft in a historical downtown area with a patio and skyline view. The beautiful sectional with light blue fabric draws your eye to the view and offers a croud great seating.

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Urban Perks at Suburban Sound Levels

Being within striking distance of nightlife and public transportation is important; the key word, of course, is distance. The city should be far enough away for a good night’s sleep.

Photo: Michael Saunders & Company, a member of Luxury Portfolio International. From: Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®

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Beach Access

If your home search is happening on a coast, any coast, you’d better be within a stone’s throw of the shore. What’s the point of living near the water if you can’t get your feet wet?

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A Guest Bedroom

A truly gracious home is one you can share with visitors...without sharing your actual bed.

Stainless Steel Grill With Bar Countertop & Metal Barstools

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A Grill...No, Make That an Outdoor Kitchen

Even vegetarian house hunters hear and respond to the siren call of the grill. What primitive remainder of our ancestors’ DNA drives us to seek indoor homes that allow us to prepare food outside? Property is a mystery, friends.