15 Words to Make Your Home Stand Out
and Seem
More Valuable
If one of the following
words accurately describes your home, you might want to consider adding it
to your listing description:
1.
Luxurious
As mentioned above,
lower-priced listings with the word "luxurious" sold for 8.2% more on average than expected.
"Luxurious"
signals that a home's finishes and amenities are high-end. This is a huge
selling point, particularly in this price range.
2.
Captivating
Top-tier
listings described as "captivating" sold for 6.5% more on average than expected. Unlike the word
"nice," "captivating" provides a richer, more enticing
description for buyers.
Plus, it's less open to
interpretation. Anything can be seen as "nice," but
"captivating" sets a high bar.
3.
Impeccable
On average,
listings in the bottom tier with the word "impeccable" sold for 5.9% more than expected. Like "captivating,"
"impeccable" is a rich adjective.
It also
implies something about the quality of a home: The features are
desirable and the home is move-in ready.
4.
Stainless
"Stainless" is typically used to
describe kitchens with "stainless steel appliances." It's in your
favor to talk up these features in your listing - especially if your home
is in the bottom price tier. In our analysis, lower-priced homes with
the word "stainless" sold for
5% more on average
than expected.
5.
Basketball
On average, lower-priced
homes with the word "basketball"
sold for 4.5% more
than expected. This may seem
like an odd word to include in this list, but when you consider the
context it makes sense. Among lower-priced homes, a basketball
court - or even better, an indoor basketball court - is a huge
selling point. While it may not stand out as much among higher-priced homes,
it's definitely worth mentioning in this price range.
6.
Landscaped
It's just as valuable to
describe your yard as your house. In all price tiers, listings with the
word "landscaped" sold for more than expected on average. The
biggest premium was seen among lower-priced listings, which on average, sold for 4.2% more than expected.
7.
Granite
In the same vein as
"stainless," "granite" is typically used to
describe countertops or another high-end home feature. Listings with the word "granite",
sold on average for 1%
- 4% more than expected across all price tiers.
8.
Pergola
Not only should you
include high-end home features in your listing description, you should also
mention features not found in every home. They'll help your listing stand
out, especially if buyers are searching for homes online by keyword. The data
shows mid-priced listings with the word "pergola" (slated
wood patio cover) sold for
4% more on average than expected.
9.
Remodel
Was your home recently
remodeled? It may be worth mentioning. On average, bottom-tier
listings with the word "remodel" sold for 2.9% more, middle-tier homes
for 1.8% more and top-tier homes for 1.7% more than expected.
10.
Beautiful
While beauty is in the
eye of the beholder, a beautiful feature like a view may be worth
noting. Lower-priced listings with the word "beautiful" sold for 2.3% more on
average than expected.
11.
Gentle
"Gentle"
may seem like a weird adjective to have in a listing description. It's
typically used to describe "gentle rolling hills" or something about
a home's location. Top-tier listings with the word "gentle" sold for 2.3% more, on average,
than expected.
12.
Spotless
You may think all homes
are spotless when a buyer moves in, so it's not worth mentioning in
a listing. But when it comes to lower-priced homes, cleanliness isn't
always a given. In this price range, listings described as "spotless"
sold for 2% more on
average than expected.
13.
Tile
Much like
"stainless" and "granite," "tile" is a great
word when it comes to describing the features of your home. A newly tiled
backsplash or updated bathroom tile not only indicates a home's aesthetic
value but also sends a message to buyers that the home's been well
cared for by the current owners. Bottom-tier homes with the word
"tile" in the listing sold for 2% more on average than expected.
14.
Upgraded
On average, lower-priced
listings with the word "upgraded" sold for 1.8% more than expected. Most buyers will agree that upgrades are a
selling point. They indicate a home not only looks nice but also functions
well. Spelling out which features have been updated is a good approach, so
buyers have the right expectations when they see your home.
15.
Updated
"Updated"
sends a similar message to "upgraded." But in addition to speaking
to the quality of a home, it signals that something old has been
replaced with something new. This is a great fact to communicate to
potential buyers, as evidenced by the data. Mid-priced homes with
"updated" in the listing sold for 0.8% more on average than expected.
Report from Zillow by Catherine Sherman, March 6, 2015.
