11 Design Features That Make a Home Sell for More, According to a Real Estate Expert

We’re all about decorating your home your own maximum enjoyment, but we understand there are certain things a homeowner may or may not want to do for the sake of resale value. Selling your home is stressful enough. From hiring a real estate agent to knowing the best time to list your home to getting your home appraised and passing every inspection, it’s no small endeavor. So if there are ways to take some things off your plate, then we suggest you do them, especially if it’ll actually make you money in the long run.

After analyzing more than 2 million homes listed for sale in 2024, Zillow recently came out with a report on what keywords make a house sell for more, and they found that buyers aren’t looking for cookie-cutter homes anymore. “What stands out in this year’s analysis is that bold design choices are breaking through with buyers,” Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert, says. Statement materials and finishes are becoming more desirable for the average buyer. Instead of granite and marble countertops, buyers are responding to quartz and soapstone and prefer Venetian plaster to regular painted walls.

“These features signal a departure from the modern farmhouse aesthetic toward a new look grounded in organic modernism,” Pendleton says. “This style is defined by the use of natural stone, lots of wood and textured walls.”

Basically, if a home has a specific keyword in its listing, Zillow found that it sold for a percentage more than expected. So if a home listing had “remodeled” somewhere in the description, it sold for 3.7 percent more than the Zestimate.

That doesn’t mean you should rush to change out your granite countertops for soapstone ones or put an outdoor shower in your backyard. It just means that if you have certain bespoke or statement features in your home, you’ll likely get more money when you sell it than you thought.

Keep reading to find 11 keywords you should definitely mention in your real estate listing if you want your home to earn you even more money.

Remodeled

Average Cost to Complete: Renovating a home can cost anywhere from $19,488 to $88,406, according to Angi. It depends on how large your home is and how many rooms you’re remodeling. The average cost of a remodel is $52,272.

If buyers can tell from the start that your home is up to date and move-in ready, it makes it more desirable to them. Making sure that you highlight any recent remodels you’ve completed in the listing can potentially get you 3.7 percent over the asking price.

Wet Room

Average Cost to Complete: The average cost to install a wet room in your home is $13,000, according to Angi. However, this depends on how big you want the space to be.

Buyers aren’t looking for that “stark spa” look anymore—they want something cozier and more elegant than simply sleek. Having a wet room in one of your bathrooms can potentially help your home sell for an additional 3.3 percent.

White Oak Flooring

Average Cost to Complete: According to Angi, the average cost to install a hardwood floor is $4,726. Looking at white oak specifically, House Digest reports that solid white oak will run you between $4 and $8 per square foot.

White oak is durable and beautiful, and it comes in a range of colors from light brown to a warm reddish brown that make it very desirable to buyers. Because it’s so durable, it doesn’t easily show daily wear and tear, and it can complement plenty of different design aesthetics. If you have white oak flooring in your home, call it out in your listing and you could potentially get 3.2 percent over your asking price.

Teak

Average Cost to Complete: Teak hardwood flooring will run you about $11 to $20 per square foot, according to Home Guide.

Teak wood is highly desirable for its durability, rich aesthetic, and adaptability. It’s often used when making high-end furniture or in outdoor construction thanks to its natural resistance to water and pests. Because of this, its tropical origins, and its sturdy and long lumber, teak is also very expensive. Make sure you mention in your home listing if you do have any teak features to potentially earn an additional 3.1 percent.

Venetian Plaster

Average Cost to Complete: According to Angi, it costs $700 on average to apply Venetian plaster. However, it ranges from $585 to $815 depending on the size of the project and labor costs.

Double-down on the bespoke quality of your home by calling out Venetian plaster in your listing, if you have it. Pendleton specifically mentions textured walls as something buyers are seeking out, amping up the competition and pushing up the asking price. Having Venetian plaster in your home could potentially add 3 percent to your sales price.

 

 

New Appliances

Average Cost to Complete: The average cost of buying new home appliances runs between $2,100 to $5,400, according to HomeGuide. For the installation cost alone, it averages out to $209, according to Angi.

As with the keyword remodel, touting your new appliances in your home’s listing is a way to potentially earn you 2.7 percent more on your asking price. No one wants to fall in love with a home to then realize they’re going to have to drop potentially thousands of dollars on new appliances once they move in. It’s better for any buyer to go into the process knowing that they’re getting modern features.

 

Soapstone Countertops

Average Cost to Complete: Soapstone slabs cost $70 to $120 per square foot on average, according to Caesarstone. To install a soapstone countertop, Angi reports that it’ll cost you between $2,100 and $7,200.

Soapstone is quickly becoming the most sought-after countertop stone for kitchens. Beloved by designers and chefs (like Bobby Flay, Ina Garten, and Martha Stewart) alike, the stone is more durable than marble and easier to clean than other types of stone. “Soapstone outperforms quartz as the countertop material of choice, contributing to a sale premium of 3.5 percent versus 2.6 percent,” Pendleton says.

 

Outdoor Shower

Average Cost to Complete: To install an outdoor shower, the average cost, including installation, is between $1,000 and $5,000, according to House Digest.

These days, buyers want the laid-back energy of a beachfront home in their own backyard. The addition of an outdoor shower can prompt potential buyers to offer up to 2.8 percent above asking.

 

Bluestone Patio

Average Cost to Complete: According to Home Guide, bluestone pavers cost $6 to $14 per square foot on average.

While patios are commonly finished in brick, concrete, or other stone slabs, bluestone is a more elegant natural stone alternative. This durable stone is more expensive than other patio materials, but it comes with a tempting ROI. A home with a bluestone patio could sell for 2.2 percent more than expected.

 

Quartz Countertops

Average Cost to Complete: You can expect to spend anywhere from $50 to $200 per square foot depending on material size, coloring, and grade, according to Angi.

Just because soapstone is the number-one requested countertop material right now, that doesn’t mean quartz has lost its value. In fact, the addition of quartz in your kitchen or bathroom can result in your home selling for 2.6 percent above the asking price.

 

Outdoor Kitchen

Average Cost to Complete: According to Angi, the average range of outdoor kitchen costs is between $6,348 for a simple setup (such as a grill and countertop), and $26,903 for a full high-end kitchen installation outdoors.

Outdoor kitchens extend your culinary potential and your entertaining space. And while they vary greatly in both form and amenities, even a simple one can lead buyers to offer an average of 2.2 percent above asking.