Amenities That Will Boost Your Home Value

In a recent report from RealEstate.com, a new real estate site geared towards first-time buyers, presented a list of features and phrases that resulted in higher-than-expected sales prices than comparable homes without those features. We've compiled a few of the top phrases and features but you can see the full report here: 29 Design Features That Helped Starter Homes Sell For More Than Expected.

• Craftsman homes: sell for 34 percent more than entry-level homes without that phrase
• Solar panels: sold for 40 percent more than comparable homes. (Exact savings are determined by the size of the unit, direct hours of daily sunlight, roof size and more.)
• Coffered ceiling: sold for 34 percent more. (A ceiling design that features deeply recessed, often elaborately decorated, panels.) 
• Claw-foot tub: sold 29 percent more. 
• In-Law: sold for 28 percent more. (A suite within a home, or a stand-alone structure that offers accommodations for aging parents.)
• Farmhouse sink: sold for 26 percent more.
• Central vac: sold for 25 percent more. (A built-in vacuuming system that includes a canister, piping that directs dirt and debris to the canister and a hose that can be installed in one of many inlets installed throughout the house.)
• Tankless water heater: sold for 24 percent more. 
• Hardwood floors: sold for 22 percent more. 

Interestingly, a home with a "fire pit" sold for 25 percent more; but an "outdoor fireplace or pit" sold for 21 percent more. The report describes a "fire pit" as being: "freestanding and crafted of bronze, steel, cast-iron, or hardscaped element." Whereas an "outdoor fireplace or pit" was described as, "fashioned from clay or masonry, an outdoor fireplace may be gas-powered or wood-burning, free-standing or incorporated into an outdoor kitchen." In the same vein, homes with "quartz" kitchen countertops sold for 23 percent more than expected; while homes with "butcher block" countertops sold for 20 percent more than expected. 

(To generate this list of features, RealEstate.com analyzed listing descriptions of millions of entry-level (homes priced within the bottom third of the market) and then compared list and selling prices.)