By Lauren Beale – LA Times

“Beautiful,” “ocean views,” “mountain views” and “gated community” are among the most popular keywords used to advertise homes online to West Coast home buyers, a recent study shows.

Nationwide, “beautiful” was the most frequent word in listings last year, according to a study of 300,000 listings conducted last year by Point2Homes, an online listing and property data portal.

“Hardwood floors” took the No. 2 spot and “stainless-steel appliances” came in third.

Among regional differences, East Coast listings were more likely to include the phrases “move right in,” “renovated” and “gleaming hardwood floors.”

In the New York City area, “closet space,” “sunny” and “oversized windows” were words used by agents whose homes sold fastest. Such features would appeal to buyers in cold-weather climates with winter coats to store and a dearth of sunshine.

Adjectives play a role. “Soaking tub” had more appeal than “bath tub,” and “private storage” topped “public storage.”

And terms differed by price point. “Beautiful” attracted average-income home buyers, but “private” appealed to the wealthy. Other terms used in the $5-million and up segment of the market included “guest house,” “wall of windows” and “wood-burning fireplace.”

SubZero topped the list of preferred brands, followed by Viking, Miele, Bosch and Whirlpool.