When you’re selling your home, you want it to bring in as much as possible, and Zillow knows what will help. The real estate site’s latest research shows that homes with lifestyle-driven amenities and move-in ready finishes have buyers opening their wallets wider.
According to Zillow, these are the features that help homes sell for more:
- Cottagecore and the modern coastal aesthetic - It’s popular on-screen and in real life, too. Homes with cottage-inspired features, like docks can bring in as much as 5.4% more than expected. That’s more than 19-thousand extra on the typical home. Outdoor kitchens can boost sale prices by 4.4%, outdoor showers add 4.3%, and an outdoor fireplace can add another 2.8%.
- Quartzite steals the kitchen spotlight - Homes with quartzite countertops are fetching more money, 5.3% more than expected. That beats any other countertop material, including quartz (3%), soapstone (2.7%), marble (1.9%) and onyx (1.6%).
- Personal touches appeal to buyers - Custom features were once considered risky, but now they’re a selling point. Gourmet kitchens add a 3% premium, while a golf simulator can give a 2.7% boost. Listings that highlight bespoke finishes sell for 3% more, and those with custom features add 3.2%.
- No fixer-uppers - One thing today’s buyers don’t want? A DIY project. Fixer-uppers sell for 14% less, Zillow reports, while remodeled homes go for 2.2% more than those that don’t mention renovations. And turnkey homes sell for 2.9% more.
"When affordability is tight, the last thing buyers want is another expensive project waiting for them," explains Zillow Senior Economist Kara Ng. "Homes that are already updated and thoughtfully designed can command higher prices because buyers can roll those costs into their mortgage, rather than paying for expensive improvements after closing."
Source: Zillow