Home Features That Boost Sale Prices

A recent report from Zillow found that special kitchen features, such as steam ovens, can help boost home sale prices.

MarketWatch reports that homes with steam ovens captured a 34 percent sales premium, followed closely by other kitchen features such as professional-grade appliances (32 percent premium), wine cellars (31 percent), and pot fillers (28 percent). Steam showers also boosted prices by 31 percent.

In starter homes, priorities were slightly different, with freestanding bathtubs boosting selling prices a full 59 percent above asking price. But kitchen features were still popular, with pot fillers netting sales premiums of 49 percent and wine cellars and pizza ovens garnering a 47 percent gain.

These amenities, however, don’t boost a home’s selling price singlehandedly. Indeed, most home improvement projects don’t even recoup their full cost through a higher resale value.

Rather, these features — when identified in the home’s listing description — can act as a signal to buyers that the property is in good condition.

Read more