Australia's recent love affair with home renovations is expected to continue, according to the Housing Industry Association (HIA).
It peaked in the 2010/11 financial year, but consumers then became cautious following the global financial crisis and tightened their wallets.
HIA Chief Economist Harley Dale said the outlook for renovations investment, which was recovering from a 12-year low, was looking brighter.
"We're starting to see indications in the 2015/16 year of a situation where consumers are perhaps willing to spend a little bit more on renovations activity, and that's a key driver in itself for demand of tradespeople and wider employment, manufacturing and suppliers, retail goods," Mr Dale said.
It means those renovating should pay closer attention to what buyers are demanding, especially if they're considering selling in the short to medium term.
Consumer advocate Bessie Hassan said a survey by has found that air conditioning was at the top of buyers' wish lists, with 65 per cent of respondents saying it's the most desirable property feature.
"Three in four households today do have air conditioning, (which) indicates that Aussies clearly place importance on keeping cool and comfortable in a warm climate," Ms Hassan said.
These are the top five home features buyers will pay extra for:
Features such as a built-in barbecues (four per cent) and water features (two per cent) were a long way down the wish list.
Ms Hassan said 23 per cent of those aged 18 to 34 indicated that a swimming pool was important, compared to just 10 per cent of baby boomers.
"It's not just installing the pool that is expensive, it's also the running cost that can often get to home buyers as well," she said.
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