Home owners who are looking to maximize return on investment might consider putting a pizza oven in the steam shower. Or something like that.
Turns out that for-sale listings mentioning keywords like "steam shower," "professional appliances" or "heated floors" can sell for up to 29% more than expected, according to Zillow's 2018 Home Features that Sell analysis.
Zillow® analyzed listing descriptions from nearly four million homes nationwide that sold between January 2016 and December 2017 to see how certain keywords referring to home features, amenities and design styles impacted their sale price.
Listings mentioning "steam showers," an enclosed shower that can also be used as a steam room, saw the highest sale premium of all the keywords analyzed – selling for 29% above expected values. Other spa or wellness-focused home features like "meditation room" or "free-standing tub" were also found in top-performing listings.
Homes touting "professional appliances" and other unique chef-friendly amenities like "pizza oven," "outdoor kitchen" or "prep sink" also sold for a premium.
"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," says Jeremy Wacksman, Zillow's chief marketing officer. "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."
