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Today's buyers are paying a premium for personalized homes that feel like a retreat 

• Cottage-inspired lifestyle features, such as docks and outdoor fireplaces, help homes sell for as much as 5.4% more.
• Quartzite sells homes for more, compared to any other countertop material, including soapstone or marble. 
• Customized, turnkey homes can sell for upward of 3% more than similar homes.  

SEATTLE , March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Buyers are opening their wallets wider for home features worthy of a bingeable TV show: a charming cottage, crackling outdoor fireplace and sunset views from a private dock. 

New Zillow® research finds that homes with lifestyle-driven amenities and move-in-ready finishes are selling for as much as 5.4% more than expected, or about $19,500 extra on the typical home. The takeaway: Buyers today want comfort, customization and cost certainty, in homes that could fit right in on the set of their favorite on-screen drama. 

'I'm coming to the cottage'

The modern coastal aesthetic is heating up on-screen — and in real life. 

Homes with a dock sell for 5.4% more than expected. An outdoor kitchen can boost sale prices by 4.4%, and an outdoor shower adds 4.3%. Even the word "cottage" carries weight in a listing, associated with a 3.2% sale premium. Waterfront homes sell for 3% more, and an outdoor fireplace adds another 2.8%.

"Cottagecore taps into a desire for homes that feel like an escape from everyday life," said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "After years of busy schedules and screen time, buyers are drawn to spaces that encourage slowing down, where they can picture sunset dinners by the water or s'mores around the fire. Even if the home isn't actually a vacation property, buyers are willing to pay more for features that make everyday life feel like a getaway."

Quartzite steals the spotlight

In the kitchen, quartzite is the new star of the show. Homes that mention quartzite countertops sell for 5.3% more than expected, surpassing quartz (3%), soapstone (2.7%), marble (1.9%) and onyx (1.6%).

This material feels elevated yet durable, which may explain its growing appeal. Buyers want kitchens that look beautiful in photos but can also handle real life.

Personal touches net higher prices

Once considered risky, personalization is now a selling point. Listings that highlight custom features sell for 3.2% more than expected, and bespoke finishes are linked to a 3% premium.

Highly personal, purpose-built spaces are resonating, too. For example, a gourmet kitchen designed for the home chef adds a 3% premium, while a golf simulator gives a 2.7% boost. Buyers are embracing homes that reflect their hobbies and passions, especially when those features are already thoughtfully designed and ready to use.

No fixer-uppers, please

Today's buyers are also making one thing clear: They don't want a project. Turnkey homes sell for 2.9% more than expected, and remodeled homes command 2.2% more than similar homes that don't tout their renovations. Meanwhile, fixer-uppers sell for 14% less.

"When affordability is tight, the last thing buyers want is another expensive project waiting for them," said Zillow Senior Economist Kara Ng. "Homes that are already updated and thoughtfully designed can command higher prices because buyers can roll those costs into their mortgage, rather than paying for expensive improvements after closing."

Takeaways for sellers

If your home already has one of these sought-after features, make sure it shines in the listing description. But there's no need to rush into renovations just before putting a home on the market. Sellers can often boost their sale price in simpler ways:

• List at the right moment. Timing can make a meaningful difference. Zillow's latest Best Time to List analysis shows that homes listed in late May sell for about 1.7% more, roughly $6,000 extra on a typical home.
• Get strategic. Zillow Preview is a way to publicly introduce a home to buyers before it officially goes active on the market. It allows sellers and agents to use real-time buyer responses, such as shares, saves and tour requests, to refine the selling strategy before a listing goes live.
• Focus on digital first impressions. Today's buyers often fall in love online. Zillow research indicates that listings with high-resolution photography, virtual tours and interactive floor plans, which are all included in Zillow Showcase℠ listings, tend to sell faster and for more money.

About the research

Zillow analyzed more than 2 million homes listed for sale in 2025, looking for more than 600 common phrases used in listing descriptions. To understand how these phrases might affect a home's sale price, we first estimated what each home was likely to sell for based on factors like its location, size, type of home, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and when it was listed.

Next, we compared that estimate to the home's actual sale price. This helped us measure whether certain listing features or phrases were linked to a higher sale price than expected.

When we say a home "sold for more than expected," we mean it sold for more than similar homes with comparable characteristics. In this context, a "premium" simply means that a particular feature or phrase is associated with a higher sale price compared to similar homes without it, not that the home sold for more than its Zestimate or asking price.

About Zillow Group

Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. 

As the most visited real estate app and website in the United States, Zillow connects hundreds of millions of consumers with innovative technology, trusted agents and loan officers, and seamless digital solutions. With industry-leading tools and resources, Zillow supercharges real estate professionals so they can grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client experiences. For renters and housing providers, Zillow offers not only a robust marketplace but a set of end-to-end products and services to streamline applications, leases, payments and more. 

Zillow's ecosystem spans the entire home journey — from dreaming and shopping to renting, buying, selling and financing.

Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow^®, Zillow Premier Agent^®, Zillow Home Loans^®, Zillow Rentals^®, Zillow^®New Construction, Trulia^®, StreetEasy^®, Out East^®, HotPads^®, Follow Up Boss^®, ShowingTime^®, dotloop^® and Zillow^® Closing.

All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). © 2026 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.

 

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SOURCE Zillow Group, Inc.