Beanie Babies to Backyard Cottages: What Housing Trends Can Learn from Fads
Remember the rush of finding your newest Beanie Baby? Or the constant attention a Tamagotchi needed to stay alive? What about the sudden rise of pickleball? And now, the craze of Labubu mystery boxes, where people spend big just for a chance at a rare item?
Housing isn’t all that different.
Like any cultural phenomenon, real estate is driven by scarcity, timing, and emotional connection. From the styles we crave to the way laws shape what can be built and how spaces can be used, the housing market often feels like chasing the rare Labubu, demand is sky-high, supply is limited, and getting the “rare one” (your dream home) requires strategy, timing, and sometimes just a little luck.
🧱 Style & Structure: Building Trends with Staying Power
Just like platform sneakers and butterfly clips, design fads in housing come and go but each one reveals the mood of the moment:
2000s: Beige everything, heavy granite, and tiled counters.
2010s: Farmhouse chic, barn doors, and shiplap galore.
2020s:
Warm neutrals & texture replacing stark gray.
Japandi style blending minimalism with comfort.
Sustainable, natural materials like reclaimed wood and cork.
Bold colors returning — earthy greens, matte blacks, terracotta.
Like Labubu buyers hoping for the rare design, homeowners today are chasing something unique, something that doesn’t look like every other home on the block.
🧩 Function and Flexibility: The Modern Home Fad
In the same way that Tamagotchis required constant attention, modern homes are being designed to work harder for us. They’re not just a place to sleep they’re often becoming multi-purpose - gyms, classrooms, rental income streams, and creative hubs.
ADUs/DADUs are booming as cities loosen zoning restrictions.
Flex rooms are built to pivot between Zoom calls and guest stays.
Pickleball courts and play spaces are showing up in backyards, community centers, and even rooftop developments.
Shared amenities are becoming a selling point, co-working lounges, rooftop decks, community gardens.
These trends reflect what people value most: adaptability, connection, and fun.
📜 Laws always in flex
Cities like Seattle and Portland are rewriting old rules:
Rezoning single-family neighborhoods for triplexes and fourplexes.
Incentivizing ADUs/DADUs to add density.
Supporting live/work spaces and mixed-use zoning.
The policy shifts are much like the limited runs of Labubu drops, they create opportunities for those who are ready, but leave others waiting for the next wave.
🌀 The Labubu Housing Parallel
The frenzy around Labubu boxes is almost the perfect metaphor for today’s housing market:
You don’t know what’s inside until you open the door. (Home tours can feel like opening mystery boxes!) Having an agent to help guide you is important.
The rare ones - prime locations, move-in ready homes, or beautifully updated properties, are fiercely fought over even in this ever changing market.
The supply is low(er) and when something rare appears, competition drives prices higher.
Everyone wants to “win” the right home, but unlike a collectible, a home has lasting utility and its value is shaped by how you live in it.
🏁 Final Thoughts: Chasing the Rare One
From Beanie Babies to Labubu, these trends teach us something: we love the hunt. But while fads fade, homes grow in value, both financially and emotionally, when they’re thoughtfully chosen, cared for, and adapted over time.
Today’s most desirable homes are the ones that stand out for their uniqueness:
A custom-built ADU that generates income.
A restored Craftsman with modern updates.
A home with both charm and functionality (and maybe a pickleball court in the driveway).
Don’t just chase the hype. Look for homes with long-term “collectible” value the kind that won’t just be rare today, but will still matter years from now.
Also - nothing wrong with having a collection and leaning into community, which I think is part of the fun with trends like Beanie Babies and the current Labubu (or fufu) trends. I also think having a trusted Real Estate agent is critical in navigating what is trending in the market.
As always if you are interested in chatting Real Estate or the newest trends, reach out, I love connecting.
Rachel Jarvis
503-998-6406