Kitchen Quick Fixes That Will Significantly Increase The Value Of Your Home
The kitchen is one of the most frequented spaces in most homes. This unfortunately also means that it gets a lot of wear and tear as the years go by.
If you’re looking to sell your home and move into a new place, it’s important to make sure every part of it is in the best possible condition, especially the kitchen. This means refurbishing and improving the areas that are showing signs of wear and tear. And the smaller the kitchen, the more visible its condition will be apparent.
One of the best things about kitchen upgrades is they directly increase the value of your home. And in addition to increasing the value, upgrading the kitchen and sprucing up other parts of your home, also makes the property easier on the eyes, thus attracting more (potentially higher paying) buyers.
Moving to a new house can be costly, especially if you’re moving long distance! So today we’d like to outline a few kitchen quick fixes that can help you maximize the value of your property and get a handsome return on your small investments.
Don’t forget!
When you’re planning these small kitchen fixes, remember that even the tiniest improvement can make a huge difference in perception (from potential buyers!). From flooring to cabinetry, from the appliances to the kitchen countertops, walls and backsplashes. The point is that you, as a homeowner, have a variety of affordable options when it comes to upgrading your kitchen and prepping it for a profitable sale.
Ok, so what “small fixes” are we talking about? Let’s take a look.
Flooring
Upgrading your kitchen’s flooring is the first step towards giving this important space the value boosting appeal you seek to achieve. Dull kitchen floors can have a negative effect on the entire space.
While real slate and hardwood flooring are the most appealing flooring options out there, choosing vinyl flooring can help save you a lot of money while still achieving the same outcome. Over the years, vinyl flooring options have increased in variety, pricing, and quality. When shopping around, don’t be surprised to find finishes that closely resemble some of the more expensive types of flooring materials (such as marble or hardwoods) for a fraction of the cost.
Cabinets
Replacing kitchen cabinets is also a great way to freshen up your kitchen and leave it looking better than before.
However, since a complete overhaul of the cabinetry is out of the question due to cost, perhaps moving your attention to refurbishing the cabinet doors, can save you a significant amount of time and money.
Cabinet doors can be refinished or even just repainted without much effort on your part, but with all the added benefit of a brand new look and feel.
Yet another pro-tip here is to replace the cabinet doors. Highly worn out cabinet doors can be replaced at a slightly higher cost, yet still significantly lower than a complete overhaul of the cabinets.
Appliances
Brand new appliances are considered to be a huge magnet for today’s home buyers. They like to see brand new, clean, modern appliances in a kitchen. Replacing defective or outdated kitchen appliances with new ones can be quite costly. Fortunately, you can have your older kitchen appliances repainted or refinished at a local body shop to give them a clean and refined look, provided that they are in great working condition.
Although this will require some negotiating and time to find a reliable shop, it can potentially save you some money. You’ll have to do your due diligence here and find a shop that has this kind of expertise and take into account you will (most likely) have to remove the appliances and take them to their shop and back.
Just another idea for you.
Backsplash
Adding a new tile backsplash to your kitchen not only helps reinvigorate your kitchen but also helps bring together the overall color palette.
The process of selecting, purchasing, and installing backsplash tile in a kitchen has become an easy process for homeowners as a DIY project. If you don’t mind doing a little research and getting your hands dirty, this could be a weekend project for you! All in the name of getting the most out of your home sale.
Of course you also have the option of hiring a professional tile installer to help you.
Countertops
Here’s where you can shine! This will be the most visible and carefully inspected item in your kitchen by potential buyers.
Natural stone countertops will not only add a high level of appeal to your kitchen, but also increase the buyers perception about its quality significantly. If your current countertops are showing signs of wear or you’re looking to captivate home buyers when they walk into the kitchen area, installing new granite or quartz countertops will most definitely do the trick.
By the way, we’re not just saying that because we are stone experts, but think about it, what it the first thing you look at when walking into a kitchen along with its cabinetry?
It’s worth noting that granite is considered to have a slightly higher resale value than its quartz counterpart, although this trend is shifting in the opposite direction!
Three Bonus Tips
Want more value? While the above kitchen quick fixes will certainly help raise the value of your home, the following bonus tips apply to the rest of the property.
Exterior
Making the exterior parts of your home as aesthetically appealing as possible is also important in attracting buyers. The curve appeal is just as important as the interior! Remember, this is what people will see when first pulling up to your property.
With that in mind, it is recommended that you start by improving the condition and appearance of your front, sides, and back yards. You can plant and trim flowers and ensure that the landscape is well maintained. And give your front door a fresh coat of paint to make it stand out.
Bathroom/s
As you know, the bathroom and kitchen are two of the most frequently used parts of any house. Replacing small-to-medium sized items can make a big difference.
For instance, if you have a powder room close to the kitchen, you may want to throw a new coat of paint, or perhaps replace an old toilet or vanity sink. Even replacing a couple of bathroom fixtures can have an impact! Things like a new faucet, shower head, mirror, lighting, or even a new towel bar!
Cleaning And Maintenance
Clean spaces are considered to be much more attractive. Untidy spaces are a huge turn off for most home buyers. To give your home that extra bit of appeal, take the time to thoroughly clean exterior and interior spaces. To ensure that your home does not fall into a state of disrepair, which will negatively affect its appeal and value, be sure to keep it well maintained during the entire selling process.
Keep Things Practical
Upgrading your home’s kitchen can help enhance its value and appeal in the eyes of buyers. However, to ensure that you get the highest return out of this investment, it’s essential for you to make the right upgrades at the right cost.
The simple and straightforward kitchen quick fixes we’ve provided here today are almost guaranteed to help homeowners increase the value of their home in an affordable way.
So whether you’re moving to Nashville or moving to New York, or just staying in the area, these practical tips will help you.
