Five Features that Increase Your Home's Resale Value

I’m often asked to recommend ways that sellers can improve their homes to attract potential buyers – a fresh coat of paint, well-landscaped yards, clutter removal and staging are often on the list. But what are the physical features of a home that are most desirable to buyers and can put more money in your wallet at closing?

1. Room with a View – No matter what time of year, four season rooms are always in style and increase a property’s value. Bringing the outside in has always been a selling point in residential real estate. Who doesn’t enjoy sitting in a room that offers stunning outdoor views? Four season rooms expand your living area and if you’re planning to add one to your home, often cost less than standard home additions. Seasonal allergy sufferers can enjoy the outdoors without putting up with the sneezing and wheezing when actually outside. Many of the buyers I meet have these rooms on their “must-have” lists.

2. Lighten Up - Natural light makes space cheerful, inviting and prospective buyers happy. Showcase as much natural light as you can by avoiding heavy drapes or window treatments and let the sun shine in! French doors or other innovative window treatments add a touch of glamour and elegance to the home and increase appeal.

3. Wide Open Spaces - Open floor plans offer the greatest flexibility for décor and enable you to bring the family together yet still have their own areas to enjoy. Space can be customized with accents to bring out uniqueness in each furniture grouping. Having an open kitchen, eating area, family room and study area flows nicely and encourages true “family time”. Homes that offer larger open spaces strike a chord with today’s buyers.

4. Rise Above the Competition – homes with unique features can set your property apart from the dozens of others in your price range. Wine rooms, exercise rooms, home theaters, plug-ins for electric cars or increasing the size of garage space by installing a car lift makes your property memorable to the available buyer pool.

5. Al Fresco is in – having a deck or patio space is highly desirable – stone, reclaimed wood and other accents make buyers visualize themselves sitting outside enjoying a nice cocktail or family meal after a long day. In Boston, luxury condos that offer outdoor space can triple in price from their fully indoor counterparts. Although the suburbs offer more outdoor space, having a defined beautifully landscaped deck or patio is a plus.

Amy Mizner is a principal at the real estate firm of Benoit Mizner Simon & Co. (BMS). Mizner and her partner Sheryl Simon have been the top-selling team in Weston for more than a decade. At BMS, which has offices in Weston and Wellesley, Mizner and her team work to provide a fresh approach, and a highly professional experience for all clients.