Realtor.com® Survey Finds Home Enthusiasts Prefer Natural, Comfortable Spaces

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Oct 26, 2015, 09:00 ET

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Long-gone are the days of the Hollywood-inspired homes exuding sophistication and "look, but don't touch elegance," according to realtor.com® visitors, who selected Inviting, Rustic and Beachside Charm as three favorite home designs for 2015. The top design preferences, announced today by realtor.com®, a leading online real estate destination operated by News Corp [NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc., indicate a shift in home design trends that mirror today's lifestyle.

The consumer insight was gathered as part of the realtor.com® "Get This Look" promotion, which invited visitors to vote for their favorite look as part of an opportunity to win a $45,000 home makeover by television host and lifestyle expert Jennifer Farrell.

"We are seeing a shift in home design trends – leaving behind the glitz and glam for a more natural look – whether that may be a rugged barn with many textures or a serene beach-like feel," said Farrell. "Today's style reflects today's lifestyle and we've found that having a space for entertaining family and friends all year round is the number one trend."

The Inviting living space, which is described as a welcoming atmosphere that includes fun barware, plenty of seating and a gather-worthy kitchen that can serve as the life of the party, received 23 percent of the more than 100,000 votes cast by realtor.com® visitors. This was followed by Rustic at 22 percent and Beachside Charm, at 21 percent.

Those who prefer a Rustic look favor natural elements: wood, stone, water and light. This style takes traditionally organic materials from the outside inside for a perfect balance. Also taking on a relaxed and casual feel, the Beachside Charm look is airy and breezy, incorporating terracotta tile, patio umbrellas, sundecks and scattered shells to make home owners and their visitors kick back and feel like they are miles away from the hustle and bustle of life's daily pressures.

Regal, a grand look with fine fabrics and antiques, was selected fourth among realtor.com® visitors, followed by concrete jungle Urban, eclectic Mid-Century Modern, and slinky and engaging Earthy. The soft satin and candlelight ambiance found in glamour designs finished last in place.

Follow the realtor.com^® “Get This Look” sweepstakes, sponsored in part by Bankrate, by visiting the realtor.com^® News & Advice page to watch Grand Prize winner, Lillian Lightner’s home makeover. It is one of many resources available to home buyers and sellers to help them make their dream home become a reality.

About Move, Inc. and realtor.com^®
Move, Inc. operates the realtor.com^® website and mobile experiences, which provide buyers, sellers and renters of homes with the information, tools and professional expertise they need to discover and create their perfect home. News Corp [NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] acquired Move in November 2014, and realtor.com® quickly established itself as the fastest growing online real estate service provider in the first half of 2015 as measured by comScore.

As the official website of the National Association of REALTORS^®, consumers know they can look to realtor.com^® for the most comprehensive and accurate information anytime, anywhere. With relationships with more than 800 multiple listing services (MLS), realtor.com^® has more than 3 million for-sale listings, which account for more than 97 percent of all MLS-listed for-sale properties. More than 90 percent of the listings are updated every 15 minutes. Move's network of websites provides consumers a wealth of innovative tools, including Doorsteps^®, Moving.com™, SeniorHousingNet^SM and others. Move supports real estate professionals by providing many services to grow their businesses in an increasing digital, on-demand world, including ListHub™, the nation's leading listing syndicator and centralized intelligence platform for the real estate industry; TigerLead^®; Top Producer® Systems; and FiveStreet^SM and Reesio as well as many free services.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to changes in global economic, business, competitive market and regulatory and other factors. More detailed information about these and other factors that could affect future results is contained in News Corp's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The "forward-looking statements" included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and we do not have any obligation to publicly update any "forward-looking statements" to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.

Media Contact: Bianca De Rose, [email protected], 408-558-7184

SOURCE realtor.com