Americans are prioritizing sunlight in their home search, with 44% saying they would choose a smaller home with more sunlight over a larger home with less sunlight, according to a Redfin report. 

The findings come as Redfin launched Sunscore, a property-level score that tells home searchers exactly how much natural light a home receives from 0 to 100. 

A home’s Sunscore is based on the property’s 3D geometry and surrounding 3D shadows caused by things like terrain, trees and buildings. Redfin said SunScore analyzes a property’s surfaces in relation to the sun at different times of day and throughout the year to estimate how much shade and direct sunlight the home receives. Homes with more natural light receive higher Sunscores. 

Sixty-nine percent of U.S. residents reported that the amount of sunlight in their home impacts how satisfied they are with their living situation, with 31% saying it impacts their satisfaction “a lot.” Fifty-four percent of baby boomers prefer sunlight over space, reflecting the largest share of any generation. Forty-eight percent of residents in the Midwest also prefer smaller, brighter homes. 

“We know from customer feedback that sunlight is a priority for house hunters,” said Ariel Dos Santos, Redfin’s chief product and design officer. “When you tour a home, you want to see brightly lit spaces with natural light pouring through windows. Sunscore gives home searchers that information upfront in a simple-to-understand way.” 

Georg Molzer, CEO of Shadowmap, said, “The sun influences how we live, affecting our health, comfort and happiness. However, sunlight availability is often uncertain when purchasing or renting a property — especially across different seasons. We bring clarity. Sunscore, powered by Shadowmap’s 3D sunlight analysis technology, assists buyers in understanding a property’s sunlight exposure before they decide, integrating sunlight insights directly into Redfin’s real estate search.”