If you’re like most North Americans, you spend a lot of time in your kitchen. And actually, that’s true all over the world.
So it should be no surprise that one of the rooms that buyers are most interested in when house hunting is – you guessed it! – the kitchen.
Selling
Given the importance of this room, if you’re considering selling your home it’s important to do everything possible to make your home as appealing as possible to buyers.
Unfortunately, this big impact room also carries a big price tag when it comes to making improvements. If you have the resources available, a kitchen remodel can add value to your home, shorten your market time, and increase the chances of receiving an offer. Kitchen remodels generally fall into two categories: “major”, and “minor”.
Remodel
Major kitchen remodels are a substantial investment, typically starting around $35,000 and going up from there. Costs are high because remodels at this level may include rewiring, the movement of plumbing lines, new cabinetry and flooring, upgraded appliances, new paint and trim, and custom lighting.
In contrast, a minor kitchen remodel is far less extensive … and less expensive. Go this route, and you might be looking at painting walls, adding new trim, repainting or re-facing (rather than replacing) cabinetry, and installing new hardware. New appliances are often added, but these often have fewer bells and whistles than is seen in major remodels.
If you’re going to invest in remodelling your kitchen with an eye to selling, do a little research to see what kinds of kitchens are “expected” in your neighborhood. Don’t overinvest in your remodel, as you want to regain as much of your investment as possible when it comes time to sell.
Appealing to buyers
So what other options are there? If you don’t have the time, money, or energy to remodel your kitchen, here are seven sure-fire tips to make your kitchen more appealing for buyers:
- Replace all the light bulbs with matching bulbs.
- Clean all the windows
- Cut back on the number of plates, glasses, dishware, utensils, and cookware stored in your kitchen.
- Clean out the refrigerator
- Replace cabinetry pulls.
- Clean the blinds
- Clean the refrigerator, cupboards, and drawers.
Hi! I’m Jolene Baijot, a real estate agent in Whatcom County. Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. Whether you’re exploring Bellingham, Birch Bay, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, or any of our other local towns, I hope you find this guide helpful. I appreciate your visit to my website and look forward to talking with you soon.
