I’m a realtor – the surprising features which will sell your home faster & also keep you safe

ACCORDING to real estate experts, a group of surprising features could have a big impact on your home’s value and appeal to potential buyers.

Certain elements will make your home worth more, but also keep you safe while you live there – and you might have some already.

Getty

Fnd out if your home has any of the surprising features that could speed up your sale[/caption]

Data from the realty experts at Zillow indicates that protecting your home from severe weather now pays dividends when it’s time to sell.

Hurricane shutters, double-pane windows, storm cellars, and drought-resistant landscaping are all on the list of features home buyers want.

Zillow’s research found that buyers consider a home’s protections from flooding (55 percent of buyers), tornadoes (41 percent), hurricanes (35 percent), and earthquakes (29 percent) when choosing a home.

“The frequency of these severe weather events and other natural hazards is putting a price premium on homes that have features designed to protect against such disasters,” the experts explained.

According to the experts, a home with double-pane windows can sell 6.9 days faster than similar homes without.

Homes with storm shelters can sell 1.3 days faster than other homes.

Meanwhile, there’s also a price premium for weather-proof homes – so even if your home doesn’t sell as quickly, you’ll get more for your buck.

Hurricane shutters can improve the value of your home by 1.4 percent. Stilts and piers to avoid damage from flooding increase the value by up to 1.1 percent.

Energy-saving features can also have a big impact on price and selling speeds: homes with drought-resistant landscaping or EV charging stations can sell nine days faster.

Solar panels, smart sprinklers, and programmable thermostats also improved sale prices and time spent on the market.

“Energy-saving features are increasingly desirable in a high-inflation world where many other expenses are rapidly rising,” the experts at Zillow explained.

If you live in an earthquake-vulnerable area, you have the most opportunity to profit from this trend.

Homes that have undergone seismic retrofitting to make them more earthquake-resistant sell a whopping 19 days faster than other homes, and for up to 2.4 percent more.

If you’re planning to list your property, it might be time to look at its environmental features – and even if you aren’t ready to sell, you can benefit from weatherproofing your home, too.