Essential Kitchen Updates
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in any home, especially in the minds of buyers. When selling your home, consider taking the time and spending extra money to make kitchen updates where needed. If your kitchen needs a lot of work, below are 5 essential kitchen updates to make that can go along way in the getting the asking price you want.
1. Counters
Start by accessing the quality of your counter tops, is it in good shape… does it have grout issues, etc.? If your counter tops are in good shape, then be sure to take the time to clear off absolutely everything before a showing or open house. Doing so will instantly make it look as if there is more counter space then there actually is. If your counter tops aren’t in good shape however, be sure to fix any grout issues or nicks and cracks. A guide on how to fix grout issues can be found here and a guide on how to fix cracks can be found here. If fixing nicks and cracks isn’t enough to get your kitchen counter tops looking good, then consider replacing your counter tops with granite. Having beautiful new granite counter tops in the kitchen will appeal to a wide range of buyers.
2. Floors
Kitchens get used a lot so the floors can especially get warn out. If your selling your home and your kitchen floors need some work, consider updating it. Often times buyers get turned off by warn out, old flooring so if your flooring really needs some work, consider replacing with wood flooring. Hometips.com has a helpful wood floor buying guide which can be found, here.
3. Backsplash
Updated kitchen backsplash can add a great visual component and is a quick and easy way to make an update in the kitchen. If you’re concerned with creating a tile pattern, leave that to the next owners and consider adding backsplash tiles that go along with your kitchen’s theme. You can buy stick-on backsplash tiles that coordinate with the finishes in your kitchen such as wood, copper, or stone. Coordinating backsplash tile with finishes is a great way to tie a room together. Plus it is something that you can do yourself! Stick-on tiles for backsplash can be purchased at any home maintenance store such as Home Depot or Lowes, as well as online.
4. Appliances
Beautiful, new kitchen appliances are an essential part of any great kitchen. If your kitchen appliances resemble Grandma’s avocado green oven from the 1970s, consider updating. Although appliances can be expensive, its best if all kitchen appliances are updated, as opposed to just one or two. Updating all appliances in the kitchen will give it a clean, cohesive look. If updating, consider replacing with stainless steel. Stainless steel appliances have been found to be popular with buyers both young and old.
5. Cabinets
Cabinets are another important part of any kitchen fix-up. Like appliances, replacing cabinets can also be expensive. If you don’t want to spend the funds to replace your kitchen cabinetry, consider adding a fresh coat of paint. When choosing a paint for your kitchen cabinets be sure to stay away from any bold colors such as green or blue, and go with either a light neutral or warm dark color. If your kitchen cabinets are wood, you can spruce them up with a wood oil finish. Be sure to also replace the cabinet hardware though, and make sure it coordinates with your kitchens theme. For example if you have stainless steel appliances replace cabinet hardware with stainless steel knobs or handles.
