3 min readWhen you’re listing your home, it can be hard to predict how it might perform on the market. Sure, upgrading your appliances, investing in renovations, and finding the perfect agent can all increase your chances of making the best sale, but ultimately, it all comes down to finding the right buyer.
Enhancing your home’s aesthetics will certainly attract potential buyers, but what really sells is good “bones”. The structural details of your home are like hidden gems, possessing an overwhelming amount of selling power. Features like exposed beams, a strong roof, and rustic brick walls can seriously sway potential buyers. Everything down to your home’s floor plan can be used as a potential pro in your listing.
If you’re preparing to sell, or simply curious as to how your home’s layout might perform in today’s buyer-ruled market, you’re in luck. Zillow recently shared data with House Beautiful, highlighting the home layouts that prove to sell faster, and in some cases, at a premium.
The Retro Split-Level
As the fastest-moving floor plan in Zillow’s analysis (with the most modest pricing), split-level homes typically sell 0.2 days faster than homes with more modern layouts. A hallmark of the ‘50s, homes built with this style possess a traditional, quintessential charm that helps them float through the selling stages, excelling from listed to sold at record speeds.
“Split-level homes tend to appeal to a specific buyer pool, which explains the modest price discount, but don't overlook the speed advantage,” says Zillow’s Home Trends Expert Amanda Pendleton. “These homes move faster, suggesting motivated, decisive buyers. For sellers, the right pricing and marketing strategy can absolutely offset that discount and result in a quicker transaction.”
Modern Open Floor Plan
Open floor plans are becoming an industry standard in modern home building. Unarguably the most popular, these homes boast little to no walls, sacrificing privacy and compartmentalization for fluid design. Homes with this layout typically sell at a premium 0.6 percent more, but take 1.3 days longer to make it off the market.
“Open floor plans continue to command higher than expected prices because buyers associate them with modern living. They offer flow and flexibility for how families actually want to use their space today. That said, the slight uptick in days on market tells us buyers are willing to wait for the right open-concept home rather than rushing to close on the first one that comes along,” says Pendleton.
The Closed Floor Plan
Closed floor plans had all but faded from the market, commanding less and less demand—until now. Zillow’s data reveals that the more traditional floor plan is on the way to making a comeback as homes with this layout sell at the same rate as split-levels, but for 0.01% more. Unlike the extreme visibility associated with open floor plans, closed ones offer a bit more seclusion and allow homeowners to decide how to dedicate each space, making them the perfect marriage of privacy and functionality.
“Closed floor plans are staging a quiet comeback, particularly among buyers who want defined workspaces, quiet, contained rooms, and privacy. The data backs this up,” says Pendleton. “These homes sell nearly as fast as any other type of home, and sellers still capture a marginal price lift. It's a floor plan that's found its audience again.”
