It’s the spring homebuying season, and if you’re putting your home on the market – or plan to do it months from now, there are upgrades that not only could make the home sell faster, but for more money.
New research from real estate marketplace Zillow found that homebuyers are showing a strong preference for homes with natural, high-end finishes, such as soapstone countertops, white oak floors and Venetian plaster walls. Zillow said these features alone are commanding significant premiums, with soapstone leading the pack at a 3.5% increase in sale price.
"Organic modernism is the new modern farmhouse," said Zillow's home trends expert Amanda Pendleton, in a press release. "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."
Specifically, soapstone countertops outperform quartz, contributing to a 3.5% sale premium compared to quartz's 2.6%. Additionally, a "wet room," a fully waterproofed bathroom space, is now more desirable than traditional spa-inspired bathrooms, adding a 3.3% premium to a home's sale price.
Outdoor spaces
Beyond interior finishes, functional outdoor spaces are also highly valued. Listings mentioning an outdoor shower see a 2.8% increase in sale price, while outdoor kitchens and bluestone patios both contribute to a 2.2% premium.
Zillow's analysis of over 2 million home listings in 2024 revealed that remodeled homes command the highest sale premiums, selling for 3.7% more than expected. This indicates that buyers are willing to pay a premium for move-in-ready homes, avoiding the costs and hassles of renovations.
Zillow's research also highlights the top 20 features that contribute to higher sale prices:
| Remodeled | 3.7% |
| Soapstone | 3.5% |
| Wet room | 3.3% |
| White oak floor | 3.2% |
| Venetian plaster | 3.0% |
| Outdoor shower | 2.8% |
| Quartz | 2.6% |
| Outdoor kitchen and bluestgone patio | 2.2% |
It's important to note that while these features correlate with higher sale prices, the research did not analyze the return on investment of installing them solely for resale. Instead, these features serve as indicators of a home's perceived quality and overall appeal.
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