Want to Sell Quickly & For More? Start in the Kitchen
When a buyer is looking at your home the rooms they focus on tend be the Kitchen first, then the living areas and then the Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom. Buyers know that remodeling the Kitchen is one of the most expensive remodels. So they are thrilled to see a home that already has it done.
The good news is that you may not need to rip out your whole kitchen and start from scratch. You only need to pay attention to 2 rules:
1. Only do as much as your neighbor.
2. Use what you have first.
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This means you don't need a Million dollar home's kitchen if the competing properties have only added granite and stainless steel appliances.
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This also means you don't need to scrap your cabinets if they are in working condition.
So what you should you do to make your Kitchen the star of your house and sell your home while not breaking the bank?
1. Change the Cabinets
Most people have cabinets that are in pretty good shape. If that is your case then you can have a contractor remove the doors and paint them along with the cabinet base. This can still be a couple thousand dollars but it is much, much cheaper then new cabinets which are in the tens of thousands. For a cheaper fix you should change the cabinet pulls replaced with something more in fashion now. Bonus Tip: Also, depending on the style of your door you can add molding to change a plain jane cabinet into a highly desirable one! Your contractor can paint it the same color and it will look like a kitchen you wouldn't even recognize.
2. Change the Appliances
Put in stainless steel and if you are in a luxury home then get cabinet fronts for the refrigerator and dishwasher. It is amazing how much this dresses up the kitchen.
3. Change the Countertop
Again this is the case of "What are the Jones doing?". Just change it to whatever is most common among your neighbors. In our area granite or similar solid stone (quartz, marble, etc.) is still the rage. Corian and laminate are not popular. And we also don't have a big modern community so concrete counters are definitely not popular.
4. Change the Lights
The drop down ceilings with fluorescent lights have to go. Take up the ceiling and add some can lights or track lights. LED lights are the new craze. They are bright and energy efficient. Take care to have lighting over the cooking and cleaning area. For the finishing touch you can add pendant lights to above the bar.
5. Change the Flooring
If the flooring is vinyl then it needs to go. Tile, stone or wood floors are what people are looking for. If you are changing the floor in the living areas then bring the change into the Kitchen. It looks terrible if you have too many transitions from type of flooring to another.
6. Change the Broken or Missing Items
Now you just need to take care of the details. Have broken faucet or chipped sink? Then replace it. Don't have a backsplash. Well add one. It is very affordable and gives the kitchen a very elegant look. Have old electrical outlet covers? Then upgrade to some fancy ones.
7. Stage Your Kitchen
Now that you have your Kitchen that looks new then you just need to stage it to sell. That means you should get rid of all the appliances that are hanging around that you don't use everyday. Then you should add color to the kitchen by having a vase with flowers, a bowl of apples or a container of lemons.
Prepare Home to Sell
- A Home Buyers First Impression
- Home Staging Tips
- How to Get Great Curb Appeal
- Getting Ready to Sell? The Kitchen
- Where to Start in Your Home Prep
- Quick Sale Program
- Plan and Prepare to Sell Your House
- See more on our Blog