Real Estate Realities Newsletter
May 2026

May is  Building Safety Month

05/05 Cinco de Mayo
05/10 Mother’s Day
05/16 Armed Forces Day
05/22 Pentecost
05/25 Memorial Day

Home Features That Sell Homes

Similar to clothing styles and automotive models, popular home features and designs change frequently. A few years ago, buyers wanted a modern farmhouse; this year, they want Victorian, Tudor and mid-century homes.

Recently Zillow introduced the Zillow Buzz Index, which determines the interior features and architectural styles that are drawing more buyers. Currently, these are the top five features that are making buyers fall in love with the properties that offer them:

• Exposed beams, 19.7 %
• Victorian, 19.3 %
• Exposed brick, 14.9 %
• Open shelving, 14.7 %
• Tree house, 14.6 %

Homes with the most daily views and saves tend to find a buyer faster and are more likely to sell above list price.

Other popular styles include midcentury homes and A-frames, as both are getting a 13% boost in daily buyer engagement. Log homes (12%), bungalows (11%) and Cape Cod-style architecture (11%) also have strong screen appeal; so do homes with saltwater pools and outdoor showers.