Designing for Value: When Premium Features Add Value – And When They Don’t

Thoughtful design and knowing when to spend extra on more elevated features can make or break a deal in a competitive new construction market like Raleigh-Durham. A seller can simply choose not to move if they don’t hit their target, but a builder doesn’t have that luxury; carrying costs on vacant homes accumulate, eating into profit. Over-improving can be just as costly as under-building if the market can’t support the added expense. Think of the neighborhood’s median sale price like a rubber band. Premium features can stretch pricing upward, but only so far. The more you stretch it, the more the final sale price gets pulled back toward the norm.

Quartz vs Quartzite & Waterfall Countertops:

Quartz is a non-porous, low maintenance material while Quartzite is a natural stone with a more luxurious feel, but requires periodic sealing. In higher price points, quartzite can be a strong differentiator that elevates the kitchen - outweighing its modest cost premium. In mid-range homes quartz is usually the safer choice that meets buyer expectations without overinvesting. The same logic applies to waterfall countertops: they can add value and visual impact, but at lower price points they’re more likely to be an over-improvement that doesn’t return its cost.

Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) Vs Hardwood Vs Carpet:

Hardwood floors are considered more luxurious than LVP flooring, which has historically been viewed unfavorably. Opinions have shifted on LVP flooring in recent years, where they are largely viewed as the norm in new builds within mid-range price points. However, in higher-end markets, there is still a premium placed on hardwood flooring. Carpet is a viable cost-saving decision to use upstairs or in living-rooms within neighborhoods with limited upward mobility.

Primary Bedrooms and Where to Put them:

A primary-on-main layout is a long-standing and pervasive market preference, particularly in higher end neighborhoods, where it reduces days on market by broadening the buyer pool to include downsizers/empty nesters. However, where size constraints exist, the premium of a main-level primary must be weighed against sacrifices to the common area layout; it may ultimately undermine the value it’s meant to add.

Designing for value isn’t about building the nicest product; it’s about building the right house for the right buyer and price point. A wider spread in recent sales suggests price flexibility, whereas a tight cluster tells you the band doesn’t stretch much. When features match the market, they bolster pricing power and shorten days on market. When they overshoot, they erode returns.