A Delicious Home Sale is Cooked in the Kitchen
In the 2020s, if you’re looking to sell your house, there’s an array of enhancements you can undertake to make your property more appealing to prospective buyers. Adopting measures such as enhancing the curb appeal with new landscaping and a new layer of paint, building a wooden deck at the back, or replacing an outdated roof, there’s a plethora of upgrades that can significantly increase the financial return when you decide to sell.
It’s important to understand that when it comes to selling your home, a buyer already has a list in mind of exactly what to look for in home he or she wishes to purchase. Says the processionals at Butler & Butler, a real estate agent near Woodinville, Washington, for a buyer looking to make an offer on the perfect home, it’s essential they know what to look for prior to signing on the dotted line.
While a home needs to be fully functional for the entire family with bathrooms that don’t leak and an energy efficient HVAC system that can be relied upon, there remains one room in the home that can make or break a potential lucrative deal: The kitchen.
According to a recent report by HGTV, a fully upgraded and attractive kitchen will almost certainly make your home irresistible to any buyer, no matter what they’re looking for. In a perfect world, a kitchen renovation will earn you a 70 percent return on investment (ROI) when you finally sell your house. This all depends on what features you select, how much remodeling is needed, and if your number one priority is creating your own dream kitchen or a kitchen that’s going to magically appeal to more than one buyer.
If you remove yourself from the equation and attempt to appeal to the masses, this can require you to opt in for expensive stainless-steel, high-quality appliances. It also means you will be spending money on functional features such as custom cabinet doors and drawers, pantry drawers, waste-recycling cabinetry, and more.
Remember not to spend too much time or money personalizing the space. For instance, you might enjoy country-style drawer pulls that can cost you up to $50 per pull, but it’s doubtful the pulls will appeal to potential buyers on a large scale.
That said, here are some tantalizing tips for making your kitchen appeal to so many potential buyers, you just might find yourself in the middle of a bidding war for your home.
Consult With Real Estate Professionals
It’s important to speak with your real estate professional. You should ask about must-haves for the kitchen in your particular neighborhood. What exactly attracts buyers to your kitchen? What might make them lose their appetite?
You can research what’s being marketed by other real estate agents operating in your area. Sometimes all you need to create a tasty kitchen is a fresh coat of paint, or a few name-brand stainless-steel appliances.
Keep it Simple
Don’t overcomplicate the recipe. Go with neutral cabinets, countertops, appliances, and backsplashes. A neutral color is not white. Neutral means a natural if not subdued color. This means going with fixtures and surfaces that will blend with all sorts of styles. Says one Miami, Fl, designer, the countertops and cabinets should not be loud or overly busy. Keep it simple.
Stay Away from Extremes
Says HGTV, avoiding extremes is important. Expensive separate freezer units and refrigerator units plus colorful wooden cabinetry might sound luxurious, but are they absolutely necessary when it comes to a kitchen renovation that appeals to hungry home buyers? If anything, it might turn them off. The key is to not go cheap on your renovation, but at the same time, to avoid the highest end features and appliances.
Plenty of Space
Create more space if possible. If you have a relatively big budget for your kitchen remodel, but your existing floor plan is one that does not allow for the open spaces that are so popular in the 2020s, you might want to think about knocking out some non-load-bearing walls.
Simply said, potential buyers are always looking for plenty of space and an open floor plan that will make the kitchen not only a place to cook and eat, but also a fun place to entertain guests and extended family.
Add a Little Spice to the Mix
Even though you’re going for simplicity when it comes to your kitchen renovation, it’s okay to spice things up a bit, or add what real estate agents refer to as “Wow!” features. For example, convenience items such as extra drawers, pull-out pantries, stone composite or granite countertops, and under-cabinet lighting fixtures, are said to always make potential homebuyer’s mouths water.
Selling your home is not an easy chore, but you can increase your chances of a delicious sale if you renovate your kitchen according to the sound advice of your trusted real estate agent.