11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

4. Granite countertops
> Percentage of home buyers willing to pay more: 55%
>

Amount willing to pay extra: $1,620

Among homeowners between the ages of 35 and 54, 24% viewed granite countertops as “very important,” compared to 18% of people under 35 and
18% of people over 55. Although just one in every five prospective home buyers said granite countertops were very important, 55% of those who
bought a home without such a countertop said they would pay extra for it. Granite countertops are more
of a style issue than anything else. “There has been more emphasis on the beautiful kitchen these days, and granite countertops are a part of that. 

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

1. Central air conditioning

> Percentage of home buyers willing to pay more: 69%

> Amount willing to pay extra: $2,520

Nearly seven in 10 homeowners said they would be willing to pay more on central air conditioning — the same as new kitchen appliances and more
than any other feature. Central air conditioning was considered “very important” by more than 60% of people in all age groups. Although people were willing to shell out approximately $2,500 for the feature, that is far less than what it would actually cost to install central air
conditioning. “There is a difference in people’s preference and what they are willing to pay for,”.

“They may want the steak but are on
a macaroni budget.” 

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

2. New kitchen appliances

> Percentage of home buyers willing to pay more: 69%

> Amount willing to pay extra: $1,840
About 69% of homeowners said they were willing to spend more money for new kitchen appliances. Unsurprisingly, people who are looking to buy a
new home find this far more important than people who are eyeing previously owned homes. People who are the first to live in a specific house tend to
want everything to be new in the house because they consider the house truly “their own,”.

People also do not want to have to deal
with the stress of broken appliances. “They don’t want to come home after a horrible stressful day at work and find the dishwasher isn’t working or the
fridge is making noises.” 

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

3. Walk-­in closet in master bedroom> Percentage of home buyers willing to pay more: 60%

> Amount willing to pay extra: $1,350

A whopping 60% of homeowners were willing to pay extra for a walk-­in closet in the master bedroom, with 44% of people between the ages of 35 and 54 viewing this feature as “very important,” compared to just 35% under the age of 35 and 36% of people 55 and older. The walk-­in closet is desired for two main reasons: space and status. The space is very desirable for people as they get older and acquire more clothes, allowing people to be more organized. 

Having a walk-­in closet in the master bedroom is also a status symbol. When giving a house tour people want to say, “Hey, check out my closet,” in the same way they say, “Hey, have you seen my new kitchen?”

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

5. Hardwood floors> Percentage of home buyers willing to pay more: 54%
> Amount willing to pay extra: $2,080. 

Some 25% of buyers under the age of 35, and 28% of those between 35 and 54, considered hardwood floors “very important” when looking for a home. Only 17% of people ages 55 and up felt the same way. In previous generations, homes with carpets were considered better in order toconserve energy. 

Even today, older people are more likely to feel more comfortable with carpeting because the insulation makes the home a little bit warmer. 

But for younger people looking to have many guests at the house and for people with children, hardwood floors are desirable because they are easier to clean than carpets.

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

6. Ensuite master bath> Percentage of home buyers willing to pay more: 49%

> Amount willing to pay extra: $2,030

Once again, the ensuite master bathroom tends to be more important to people ages 35 and older. “It kind of goes to the ‘home is my sanctuary’
mentality,” Samuelson said. This, along with a walk-­in closet in the master bedroom, has become more important in the past 10 years or so. Many
people are eager to make their bathroom more “homey” by doing things such as installing televisions on the wall. The fact that many master
bathrooms have two sinks is also an appealing option for married couples. 

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

7. Kitchen island> Percentage of home buyers willing to pay more: 48%

> Amount willing to pay extra: $1,370

Kitchen islands are most important to people ages 35 to 54, with 24% indicating that it is a “very important” characteristic. Just 19% of people under 35
and 13% over 55 considered this feature important. DeSimone noted that kitchen islands often come in handy for those who are raising a family. It
provides additional room to put out food for the family and allows the kitchen to become more organized. Although the desire for a kitchen island is
high, those who do not have one but want one are only willing to shell out $1,370, less than most other features.

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

8. Stainless steel appliances

Percentage of home buyers willing to pay more: 41%

Amount willing to pay extra: $1,850

Like most features, stainless steel appliances are most important to people between the ages of 35 to 54, with 23% considering them to be a “very important” investment, compared with just 16% of those under the age of 35 and a mere 11% of those over the age of 55. From a cost perspective, stainless steel appliances are not necessarily the best investment. Stainless steel wears out far easier than most other common materials. Also, the children in the house can also get their fingerprints on the appliances, requiring more cleaning. However, people are primarily driven to buy stainless steel appliances because they look more attractive.

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

9.  Home  less  than  5  years  old

>  Percentage  of  home  buyers  willing  to  pay  more:  40%

>  Amount  willing  to  pay  extra:  $5,020

Some  people  simply  want  a  newer  home.  For  those  willing  to  pay  more  for  a  newer  home,  the  median  that  people  would  dole  out  was  more  than $5,000.  Although  this  is  a  lot  of  money  compared  to  most  features,  that  money  could  be  a  wise  investment  in  the  long  run.  Maintenance  costs  are considerably  less  in  newer  homes  compared  to  older  homes.  Newer  homes  tend  to  be  much  more  efficient, attracting  people  who  are  environmentally  conscious.

11 HOME FEATURES BUYERS WILL PAY EXTRA FOR

10.  Eat-­in  kitchen

>  Percentage  of  home  buyers  willing  to  pay  more:  40%

>  Amount  willing  to  pay  extra:  $1,770

The  people  most  interested  in  an  eat-­in  kitchen  tend  to  be  in  the  35-­to-­54  age  range,  with  30%  of  those  prospective  home  buyers  indicating  this  is “very  important”  in  a  house.  Meanwhile,  just  21%  of  those  under  35  years  of  age  and  20%  over  55  feel  the  same  way.  More  people,  especially  those who  are  raising  families,  want  kitchens  that  look  into  family  entertainment  rooms.  Some  have  even  made  it  a  family  hangout  by  placing  big-­screen  TVs and  other  electronics  in  the  kitchen.  Buyers  who  are  in  families  want  to  be  in  one  space  and  do  it  all.