Putting Your Home On The Market? Increase Buyer Interest With These Kitchen Updates

For many homebuyers, the kitchen is the most important room of the homes they look at. After all, it serves as the hub for sustenance and camaraderie for the whole family. Making a few updates to the kitchen before putting your home on the market can not only increase your property value, but it will also help to improve homebuyers' reactions when they show up to your open house events. Here are a few updates you can make that will make a serious splash and create an eye-catching impression:

Replace the Cabinets

Because people tend to spend so much time in the kitchen, homebuyers look for convenient kitchen designs in potential homes – and cabinets can make a huge impact on the overall appeal of a kitchen. Some of things potential buyers look for in kitchen cabinets is quality and layout.

It's best to choose quality over quantity, so don't worry about filling every nook and cranny along the kitchen walls with cabinets. If possible, invest in solid wood cabinets with hand-carved designs or glass doors on them. The hinges and runners should be made of solid metal that doesn't rust, and hardware should match the rest of the kitchen's décor. Go for wooden knobs if you've got a country-style kitchen, or stainless steel handles if you'd like a more contemporary looks.

Choose kitchen cabinets that allow for an open layout throughout the kitchen. For example, avoid putting cabinets above the sink so a window or framed picture can be the focal point for someone when they're doing the dishes. To avoid a closed-in feel, cabinets shouldn't extend out as far as the counters. Choose cabinets that extend a couple inches shorter than the counter, and consider tall kitchen appliances when choosing a height where the cabinets should be installed.

Convert to Energy Star

Studies show that Energy Star appliances are important to potential buyers because they reduce energy costs. In fact people are willing to pay an average of $7,000 more for a home that will save them at least $1,000 a year on utility costs. If possible, replace all of the appliances in your kitchen with an Energy Star variety. If that plan isn't in the budget, consider replacing just the fridge since it has to be relied on to perform 24 hours a day.

If your kitchen is already stocked with Energy Star appliances, you can make them look new again by spraying them with epoxy appliance paint that resists rusts and stains. Stainless steel is a popular option, but black and white are also still trendy. Replacing the lights with LED bulbs will also lessen the kitchen's energy burden while creating a soft ambience.

Add Extra Storage

One of the things many new homeowners wish they had more of is storage space. Luckily, it isn't very hard to add more storage to your kitchen if you're willing to give up a little cabinet space in return. For example instead of having new cabinets installed in the corner of the kitchen, you can have a pantry built into the wall that incorporates the countertops that are already there.

You can also install floating shelves along the empty walls in the kitchen, and put a portable island with drawers and shelves in the space if there isn't already one present. If there is space in the dining room, incorporate wooden utility shelves into one corner and paint them the same color as the walls to make them look built-in.

You will find that an attractive feature-packed kitchen helps to set the tone for the overall home, offering convenience and plenty of space for families from small to large.


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