Zillow has published a useful, in-depth analysis that pinpoints some very specific home features most likely to boost resale values by the highest margins. Home listing data In 2024, researchers scanned more than 2 million home listings across 30+ metros. They zeroed in particularly on the use of over 350 different potentially spammy listing keywords. These results shed light on critical design features and amenities that make a property more attractive. In fact, these features can produce impressive monetary returns for purveyors as well.
As you’ll see in the report’s analysis of the most popular features, soapstone countertops came out on top. They helped drive home an astounding 3.5% sale premium. According to this analysis, soapstone is the winner, beating quartz, which as a stand-alone contributes a handsome 2.6% to a home’s value. When it comes to improving your home value, wet rooms provide the biggest home value increase at 3.3%. Bungalow-style or spa-inspired bathrooms can make their case, bringing 0.6% of improvement one’s way.
Outdoor Amenities and Their Impact
Zillow’s findings shed light on outdoor features that can increase a home’s resale value. Installing an outdoor shower can increase your property’s allure by 2.8%. At the same time, when you add an outdoor kitchen, you lower it by 2.2%. The popularity of bluestone patios, which add 2.2%, illustrates buyers’ growing demand for outdoor living spaces.
These amenities focus on the increasing desires of homebuyers. Increasingly, they are seeking cool, livable outdoor environments that attract people, invite interaction and create great, relaxing spaces. These features are quickly becoming table stakes. Sellers who make the right outdoor investments might find themselves just a little more competitive as well, protecting property values in the long run.
The Rise of Sophisticated Design Styles
The analysis further highlights the increasing appeal of homes with the highly sought after ‘wow’ design factor. According to Zillow’s new research, this is the alarming reality we are increasingly facing. Perhaps unsurprisingly, homes with beautiful design details—such as soapstone countertops, white oak floors, and Venetian plaster walls—sell for an average of $12,500 more than similar homes without these features.
Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert, commented on this trend, stating, “The contemporary look of homes today is characterized by natural stone, wood flooring and cabinetry, and textured walls.” This sort of sophisticated styling is increasingly entering the reach and taste of the average homebuyer, a sign that the market has awakened to new possibilities.
Leave a Reply