1. Homes with natural materials sell for 3.5% more than expected. 2. Buyers prefer organic modernism, boosting sale prices for specific finishes. 3. Functional outdoor spaces, like outdoor showers, increase home value by 2.8%. 4. Remodeled homes command nearly 4% more than their initial estimates. 5. Sellers should optimize listings on MLS for better sale prices.
Incorporation of desirable features increases overall market value, akin to trends from previous years where specific home features drove price increases significantly. For example, Zillow's previous findings indicated that specific renovations greatly enhanced sale premiums, reinforcing the likelihood of a positive price impact for Z.
The findings in the article affect Zillow's operations and market position as it continues to leverage key features and buyer preferences to boost home sales, having a direct correlation to Z's stock performance.
The current trends around home finishes and buyer preferences will likely impact price quickly as homes are listed. Historical data shows immediate impacts often coincide with seasonal selling patterns.
SEATTLE, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --
Today's home buyers are willing to pay more for homes with bold, nature-inspired design choices. New Zillow® research finds that homes with statement finishes and natural materials such as soapstone and onyx, herringbone-patterned and cork floors, and Venetian plaster walls sell for as much as 3.5% more than expected. That's an additional $12,500 on a typical U.S. home.
"Organic modernism is the new modern farmhouse," said Zillow's home trends expert Amanda Pendleton. "The contemporary look of homes today is characterized by natural stone, wood flooring and cabinetry, and textured walls. Buyers are seeking out and competing for homes with these raw but refined finishes, and that's pushing up sale prices."
These new materials are boosting resale values more than old favorites. Soapstone outperforms quartz as the countertop material of choice, contributing to a sale premium of 3.5% versus 2.6% for quartz. And a wet room is now more desirable than other spa-inspired bathroom features. Having a wet room, which is a fully waterproofed space, can help a home sell for an additional 3.3%, compared to 0.6% more for a spa-inspired bathroom.
Homes with functional outdoor space continue to sell for more, cementing a pandemic-era shift in home preferences. Listings that mention an outdoor shower sell for 2.8% more than similar homes, while outdoor kitchens and bluestone patios can both help boost resale value by 2.2%.
A previous Zillow report showed remodeled homes commanded the highest sale premiums of all the keywords analyzed, selling for nearly 4% more than expected (3.7%). Buyers appear willing to pay more upfront for a move-in-ready home rather than take out a higher-interest loan or pay cash to cover the rising costs of a renovation.
Zillow conducted this analysis by looking for the presence of more than 350 listing keywords across more than 2 million homes listed for sale in 2024. Sale price premiums were calculated by comparing the home's final sale price with its pre-listing Zestimate, controlling for factors such as the home's age, size, and when it was listed.
Homeowners looking to sell for top dollar this spring will want to highlight these home features in their listing if they've got them. Keep in mind that this analysis did not examine the ROI of installing any of these individual features solely for resale. Instead, these features should be viewed as signals about the perceived quality of a home and everything else it has going for it. For example, an outdoor shower could signal that a home is near the beach or has a pool, and that may be what's ultimately driving up the sale price.
Sellers who don't have these specific features in their home can still maximize their resale value in other ways. They should aim to get the most eyeballs on their home by ensuring their agent lists it for sale on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) right away. Zillow data finds sellers typically lose 1.5% — or about $5,000 — when they sell off the MLS. And if they have the flexibility to sell when the timing is most advantageous, recent Zillow research shows homes that are listed for sale in the second half of May can sell for 1.6% more. Zillow has more than a dozen other seller strategies that can help a homeowner boost their bottom line.
| Feature | Sale price premium |
|---|---|
| Remodeled | 3.7 % |
| Soapstone | 3.5 % |
| Wet room | 3.3 % |
| White oak floor | 3.2 % |
| Teak | 3.1 % |
| Venetian plaster | 3.0 % |
| Outdoor shower | 2.8 % |
| Renovated | 2.7 % |
| New appliances | 2.7 % |
| Dock | 2.7 % |
| Quartz | 2.6 % |
| Herringbone floor | 2.6 % |
| Onyx | 2.3 % |
| ADU | 2.2 % |
| Walnut cabinets | 2.2 % |
| Outdoor kitchen | 2.2 % |
| Pot filler | 2.2 % |
| Bluestone (patio) | 2.2 % |
| Cork floor | 2.1 % |
| Ice machine | 2.0 % |
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SOURCE Zillow Group, Inc.