When looking for a new home, many buyers have specific amenities and features on their wishlists, ranging anywhere from state-of-the-art kitchen appliances to solar panels and other green features. These amenities aren’t just important for buyers — they can have a major impact on sellers as well. Certain listing descriptions can help a home sell for up to 29 percent above its asking price, according to Zillow’s 2018 Home Features that Sell analysis..
Zillow analyzed home listings from 3.6 million homes across the country that sold between 2016 and 2017 and observed 100 terms across these listings to see what impact certain home features, amenities and design aesthetics had on selling price.
For example, listings that included “steam showers” sold for 29 percent above their expected price. In fact, Chicago was the most popular metropolitan area for listings that included a steam shower. Other health and wellness amenities also correlated with a rise in sale price — especially listings that included a “free-standing tub” or a “meditation room.”
In the kitchen, some of the listing buzzwords that drove sales performance were “pizza oven,” “outdoor kitchen,” “prep sink” and “professional appliances.”
“Homes with spa-inspired bathrooms, chef-like kitchen amenities and certain craftsman or farmhouse features are very popular among today’s buyers. If you have these features in your home, try to highlight them in listing photos and descriptions,” says Jeremy Wacksman, chief marketing officer at Zillow.
The study also found that buyers are attracted to different features based on the price range they’re searching in. In listings for homes in the bottom-third of pricing, “solar panel” generated a 40 percent premium in price over listings without the term.
In the mid-ranged price segment, “shed/garage studio” was the most profitable listing term, creating a 24 percent premium for its sellers. In listings with a higher price point, a “sub-zero fridge” boasted a 38 percent premium over other homes in the price point with standard refrigerators.
Zillow determined that in addition to features that can drive up sales price, there are listing terms that can shorten the time a home spends on the market. Advertisements with “exposed brick” sold two weeks faster than those without. Listings with “open shelving,” “dual flush,” “subway tile” and “mid-century” were all found to spend significantly less time on the market than their counterparts without these features.
Home Feature Keyword |
Percent |
Most Common |
Steam shower |
29% |
Chicago |
Professional appliance |
29% |
Los Angeles |
Pizza oven |
26% |
Los Angeles |
Pet shower |
25% |
Denver |
Outdoor kitchen |
25% |
Dallas |
Entertainer or prep sink |
25% |
Los Angeles |
Shed or garage studio |
24% |
Los Angeles |
Heated floors / radiant heat |
24% |
New York |
Meditation room |
24% |
Los Angeles |
Wine fridge |
22% |
Los Angeles |
Chef’s kitchen |
21% |
Los Angeles |
Craftsman |
21% |
Seattle |
Herringbone or parquet floors |
21% |
New York |
Free-standing tub |
21% |
Los Angeles |
Solar panels |
21% |
Los Angeles |
Coffered ceiling |
20% |
Atlanta |
Outdoor fireplace |
20% |
Los Angeles |
Carrara marble |
19% |
Los Angeles |
Home theater |
19% |
Denver |
Farmhouse sink |
19% |
Los Angeles |