Even if you’re fortunate enough to be in a seller’s market, you should still invest a bit of time and money to fix up your home before listing it. And according to one survey, the kitchen is the most important feature buyers look for in a house.
But as you probably know, there are many ways to improve your kitchen, so much so that if you’re not careful, your kitchen upgrade/project may turn into a money pit. Worse, you may end up having problems selling the house because no one is willing to pay a premium for your expensive kitchen makeover.
Instead, what you can do is focus on kitchen upgrades that work, such as the five listed below.
1. Wood Effect
Hardwood floors are a guaranteed crowd pleaser. But that doesn’t mean you should install hardwood floors in your kitchen, especially if you’re not keen on the $4.00-per-square-foot price tag.
You can, however, get the same look with cheaper alternatives like vinyl and porcelain tile that come in a wood look. Installation is easy, making it easy to get a high ROI.
2. Apply a New Coat of Paint on Cabinets
The kitchen cabinets are one of the first things buyers will notice about any kitchen. So, be sure your cabinets look great with a new coat of paint. If you do it yourself, the entire project will only set you back by about $100—that beats replacing all your cabinets, which can easily cost more than $10,000.
As for colors, you can’t go wrong with white. Whether you have a contemporary or rustic kitchen, white will always look good.
3. Replace Your Kitchen Hardware
For less than $1,000, you can replace broken hinges and aging knobs and handles, which will have a noticeable effect on your kitchen’s curb appeal. While the ideal finish of your cabinet hardware and faucets will ultimately fall down to preference, it helps to ask yourself if you want a traditional aesthetic (e.g. oil-rubbed bronze) or a more contemporary and trendy look (e.g. stainless steel and chrome).
4. Go for Solid Countertops
If it looks like your laminate countertops have seen better days, now is the best time for an upgrade. Buyers expect to see a durable worktop, so it pays to upgrade to a new finish like granite, stainless steel, or quartz. Quartz is especially popular these days, but you can’t go wrong with a staple like granite. Expect to pay as much $55 per square foot for granite and as much as $85 per square foot for quartz. This upgrade won’t be cheap, but it will score you points with buyers.
5. Add New Lighting
Lighting is key to creating open and inviting spaces. In kitchens, it plays an even more important—home cooks need it to make meals while the rest of the family will naturally gravitate to the kitchen if it looks homey and vibrant.
If you have a kitchen island, add track lights to illuminate this important focal point of the room. If you have existing pendant lights, replace them with more modern fixtures, if necessary. Undercabinet lighting is also a smart upgrade, which will brighten up counters and make them more usable.
If you don’t have time for these kitchen upgrades, however, you can always sell your home to a property investor like Blue Hen Homebuyers. We buy all kinds of homes, regardless of their age or condition. Call our offices today at 910-802-2222 to learn more about how we can help you.