Buying & Selling Homes

Buyers Pay More for Homes with These 12 Features

Remodeling is a big investment—and whether you’re doing it for your own benefit or with an eye towards selling your house, it’s nice to know which redos are going to get you the biggest bang for your buck in the long term! Here are 12 in-demand features that experts say will make your home sell for more if you include them in your next remodel.

By Ayn-Monique Klahre

A Double Oven

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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

Zillow Digs home in Tacoma, WA
White-Painted Cabinets

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You can't go wrong with white cabinets—42% of millennials prefer the trend, which is still on the upward swing, according to research by Houzz. Grey paint is also trending upward, while wood tones (darker versus lighter) are still holding strong.

Related: 9 Simple DIY Ways to Reinvent Your Kitchen Cabinets

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A Center Island

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“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

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Walk-in Pantry

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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

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Fresh Carpet

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Few things are ickier than old carpet—and it ages quickly in a busy home. While more and more buyers prefer wood floors throughout, carpeting in the bedrooms is OK as long as its in good shape. If not, it’s a deal breaker.

Related: 9 Sneaky Ways to Get New Floors for Under $50

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Double Vanities

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Widely considered a marriage-saver, double vanities are a huge bonus—especially if they’re in a private, en-suite master bathroom.

Related: 10 Bathroom Trends You Might Regret

Zillow Digs home in South Haven, MI

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A Main-Level Guest Room

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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

Zillow Digs home in The Woodlands, TX
Built-in Drop Zone

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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

Zillow Digs home in Davidson, NC

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A Butler’s Pantry

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Carving out a space between the kitchen and the dining areas for barware and other entertaining gear is a real bonus for buyers who like to have guests.

Related: 12 Vintage Kitchen Features We Were Wrong to Abandon

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A Private Backyard

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While fancy landscaping may actually hurt your chance of a sale (“People see it and just think it looks like work,” says Worters), having adequate fencing and plantings around the edge of the yard to have some separation from the neighbors is a big bonus.

Related: The Best 10 Plants to Grow for Backyard Privacy

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An Office Nook

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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

Zillow Digs home in Phoenix, AZ
A Shower with a Built-in Bench

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Unless buyers have young kids, having a tub in the house is less and less of a priority—but buyers do look for a shower stall that’s large enough to accommodate a built-in bench, ideally with a frameless enclosure.

Related: Bathroom Envy: 15 Jaw-Dropping Rooms We Love

Zillow Digs home in Jacksonville, FL

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