Buyers are prepared to pay more for homes with backyards decked out with the latest ‘on trend’ features, according to new research from Zillow.

The US listings portal analysed 359 separate home features across almost one million home sales last year and found properties with certain features commanded price premiums.

Buyers were prepared to pay 3.1 per cent more for homes with outdoor TVs, which is about US$10,749 more on a typical US home.

Other outdoor features, including an outdoor shower (2.6 per cent) and a pizza oven (1.9 per cent) also made the top 10 list of features that sell a home for more than expected.

Certain trendy, or viral features, also attracted more competing buyers, contributing to a speedier sale. 

Rounded corners, which are popular in contemporary furniture design and now architecture (hello,curvy kitchens), can help a home sell six days faster than similar homes. 

Other features that help a home sell faster include a plant ledge (five days faster) and statement terrazzo tiling, which can see a home stand out and sell nearly four days quicker.

“When certain home features or design styles are highlighted in a listing description, they serve as a signal to a buyer that a home is appealing and up-to-date,” Zillow Home Trends expert Amanda Pendleton said. 

“As a result, those features can help a home sell faster and for more money.

“On the flip side, certain features can suggest a home is dated and needs work, and can lower a home’s sale price. 

“Features like laminate or tile countertops can hurt a home’s value by at least 1 per cent when mentioned in a listing description.”

In with the new

Modern features that signalled a home was either brand new or recently remodelled, contributed to higher sale premiums. 

The current look of contemporary homes often incorporates matte black finishes and white oak flooring, which can boost a home’s sale price by 2.9 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively. 

Soapstone now outperforms quartz as the countertop material of choice, contributing to a sale premium of 3 per cent versus 1.7 per cent, while a beverage centre is the new wine fridge. 

Beverage centres can help a home fetch a 2.4 per cent sale premium, compared to 0.9 per cent for wine fridges. 

If you’ve got it, flaunt it

Homeowners looking to sell for top dollar should highlight these home features if they’ve got them. 

However, Ms Pendleton said  installing an outdoor shower or any of the other individual features solely for resale may not deliver the same returns.

Instead, these keywords should be viewed as signals about everything else a home has going for it. 

For instance, if a home has an outdoor shower, it probably has a pool or is close to the beach, which is what buyers are ultimately willing to pay more for.  

Sellers should also keep in mind that features that help homes sell in one neighborhood may not resonate with buyers somewhere else.