Recently, Zillow Digs screened over 2 million listings for homes sold between January 2014 and March 2016 and looked for the the keywords that most influenced short listing times and above-average sale prices. Last month, the website TechInsider summarized the results into the top fifteen features that sell homes. I've included them below along with my own descriptions and some photos I've shot from past weekends of the annual COBA Tour Of Homes here in central Oregon.
This home on Awbrey Butte is one of the few truly Craftsman-style homes in the area. It also shows the use of exposed brick.
Craftsman-style Home
Many homes are marketed as "Craftsman" - though few actually are. A true craftsman home has a level of detail (or craft) that most homes can only aspire to. The architect brothers Greene & Greene helped popularize the movement in the first part of the 20th Century. More recently, one of the largest craftsman homes ever built in the United States, Artemesia, was meticulously restored and listed for sale.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 5.4%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 14
Exposed Brick
Just as it says. Brick, often in its natural state (not painted), exposed inside and or out.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.9%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 36
Today's outdoor kitchens offer more than a barbeque.
Outdoor Kitchen
Beyond an outdoor barbecue, a typical outdoor kitchen might include a refrigerator, wine chiller, sink, counter, and/or a sit down bar.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 3.7%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 19
Barn-style doors hung on an exposed track.
Barn-style Doors
This kinds of doors are often interior doors. Showcased prominently, they are usually rustic in nature and the track and hardware is usually exposed.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 13.4%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 57
A porcelain farm sink. Also note: Shaker-style cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and subway tile backsplash.
Farmhouse Sink
Farmhouse sinks are single-piece sinks that sit flush with the adjacent countertop or, more often, are installed immediately below. Usually they protrude just slightly in front of the face of the lower cabinets. Porcelain, stainless steel, or copper basins are popular.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 7.9%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 58
Grantit countertops. Also note: pendant light fixtures, Shaker-style cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and subway tile backsplash.
Granite Countertops
Granite is a common and widely-occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. This natural stone comes in a wide variety of textures and colors. It is a hard, durable stone which requires very little maintenance
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.1%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 38
Quartz countertops. Also note: Shaker-style cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and tile backsplash.
Quartz Countertops
Unlike granite, quartz is an engineered surface that combines the natural crushed quartz with resin to create a solid surface. There are pros and cons to keep in mine with both materials, but either will benefit your home.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 6.0%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 50
Tiled backsplash. Also note: pendant light fixtures &. stainless steel appliances.
Kitchen Backsplash
Since I have never seen a kitchen without a backsplash, I assume the intent here is for something that is more than the standard four to six inch high piece of laminate that runs continuously along the back of most countertops. The kitchen backsplash offers unlimited possibilities for design in terms of color, texture, pattern, material, etc.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.1%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 46
A backsplash of subway tiles. Also note: pendant light fixtures and stainless steel appliances.
Subway Tiles
Named for their initial use in New York's subway system, today's tiles come in a wider variety of colors, finishes, and proportions. They are usually installed with the long side parallel to the floor and ceiling.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 6.9%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 63
Pendant light fixtures. Also note: Shaker-style cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and subway tile backsplash.
Pendant Lights
Pendant lights are decorative light fixtures that are suspended from the ceiling via cables, chains, rods, etc. There are an infinite number of designs available from a wide variety of manufacturers.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.6%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 48
Shaker cabinets.
Shaker Cabinets
The Shaker style cabinet is characterized by a five-piece door with a recessed center panel. The Shaker style cabinet can be selected with a more contemporary slab drawer front or a five-piece door with a recessed center panel, for a more traditional look. White is the most popular color of Shaker cabinets, though this style can come in many different stains and colors to match your own personal style.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 9.6%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 45
Stainless steel appliances. Also note: Shaker-style cabinets, subway tile backsplash, farm sink, and pendant light fixture.
Stainless Steel
The article is somewhat vague, but I assume the intent is stainless steel appliances. Many manufacturers offer this finish.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.2%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 42
A frameless shower becomes part of the room.
Frameless Shower
Frameless showers are enclosures of tempered glass held together by structural silicone and/or isolated fasteners. The resulting design is much cleaner than a framed design.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.6%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 38
A tankless water heater (the white box with the yellow energyguide sticker) takes up less room and is more efficient than a regular water heater.
Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit. The water is then heated by a gas burner or an electric element before being sent on to the tap. As a result, tankless water heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water.
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 43
Heated Floors
Hydronic (liquid) systems are the most popular and usually most cost-effective radiant heating systems for residential use. Though they are more likely to carry a higher price tag than a typical blown air heating system, they are quieter (no fans) and reduce the amount of air-blown dust (again, no fans)
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.3%
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 28