Looking to Sell? Zillow Finds Most Profitable Home Amenities

Posted on Apr 16 2018 - 2:52pm by Liz Dominguez
#2

home amenities

Every homeowner has one question in mind before updating their house: Which upgrades will command top dollar when it's time to sell? The answer can be complicated, since each buyer offers a different perspective; however, there's one universal truth: Everyone likes bonus amenities.

Zillow recently analyzed the listing descriptions of nearly four million homes across the U.S. (sold between January 2016 and December 2017). By using keywords related to home features, Zillow determined which amenities most impacted home sale prices and time on market.

The findings? Specialty features like heated floors, steam showers and outdoor kitchens typically had a 30 percent effect (how much a home sells for above the expected value), and also sold in a shorter amount of time. Some add-ons were more prominent in certain states than others; however, there was one standout: Buyers in Los Angeles, Calif., generally pay premium prices for bonus features.

The top 10 amenities are:

  1. Steam Shower

Effect: 29 percent

Most Common Metro: Chicago, Ill.

  1. Professional Appliance

Effect: 29 percent

Most Common Metro: Los Angeles, Calif.

  1. Pizza Oven

Effect: 26 percent

Most Common Metro: Los Angeles, Calif.

  1. Pet Shower

Effect: 25 percent

Most Common Metro: Denver, Colo.

  1. Outdoor Kitchen

Effect: 25 percent

Most Common Metro: Dallas, Texas

  1. Entertainer or Prep Sink

Effect: 25 percent

Most Common Metro: Los Angeles, Calif.

  1. Shed or Garage Studio

Effect: 24 percent

Most Common Metro: Los Angeles, Calif.

  1. Heated Floors/Radiant Heat

Effect: 24 percent

Most Common Metro: New York, N.Y.

  1. Meditation Room

Effect: 24 percent

Most Common Metro: Los Angeles, Calif.

  1. Wine Fridge

Effect: 22 percent

Most Common Metro: Los Angeles, Calif.

The trick to successfully selling these amenities and getting over your asking price? Strategically marketing them through professional photos and listing descriptions, says Zillow.

"While everyone has different style preferences, when it's time to sell, being specific and strategic with your home's listing description can have a big financial payoff," said Jeremy Wacksman, Zillow's chief marketing officer, in a statement. "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 as it may help catch a future buyer's eye."

View the full report.

 

2 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. Archie April 23, 2018 at 8:33 am -

    Nice article. Thanks for sharing. Keep it up