Buyers Pay More for Homes with These 12 Features

These days, stone countertops and a dishwasher are pretty much standard in better-quality homes, says David Worters, a broker for Hodge & Kittrell Sotheby’s International Realty in Raleigh, N.C. who was on REAL Trends’ “America’s Best Agents” List in 2017. To put your kitchen over the edge, install a double oven. “If the new owner enjoys cooking and wants to host family gatherings around the holiday, these are a must-have!” he says.

Related: 10 Total Kitchen Makeovers—and What They Cost

“The bigger and more beautiful the better!” says Worters. Buyers are no longer interested in peninsulas or breakfast bars—it's all about islands. “A cooktop on the island is bad, but a farmhouse sink in there is great—especially if the island helps the kitchen interact seamlessly with a larger room,” he says.

Related: 10 Unusual Tips for Your Cleanest Kitchen Ever

Where square footage allows, walk-in closets are a given these days, but in the age of Costco, the walk-in pantry is a must, too. Where else will you (or your home’s next owners) store your cases of LaCroix and bulk packs of paper towels?

Related: 14 Instant Fixes for a Total Pantry Makeover

While fewer and fewer buyers are looking for a formal dining room, more are looking for a guest room on the main floor. Youngers buyers are imagining less-agile parents who come to stay—or may even live with them in the not-too-distant future, says Worters.

Related: 8 Ways to Buy a Better Guest Room for Under $30

Mudrooms are a hit on Pinterest and in real life, too. Buyers with kids, especially, are looking for well-designed drop zones to corral clutter on their way in and out the door. “Think, benches with storage and hooks for backpacks, sports equipment, and all that stuff constantly entering the house,” says Worters.

Related: 14 Ultrafunctional Ideas to Steal for Your Entryway

That desk area in the kitchen? It’s out, says Worters. “What people like now is a little office nook—it doesn’t have to be big—either off the the kitchen or a loft space at the top of the stairs to do the occasional work from home,” he says.

Related: 10 Space-Smart Ways to Squeeze In a Home Office

With its front-and-center position, a new garage door can all but revolutionize how your home looks from the curb. See the difference!