The Kitchen Sells The House
Category Property Advice
A kitchen is the heart of a home. This is true all across the globe. The old saying that the "stomach is the way to the heart" carries a lot of truth. Kitchens are where we spend much of our time and most of that is with our families. It's the room where we nourish our bodies and our social ties.
Kitchens are integral to entertaining and in today's age of open floor plans, they're a focal piece of many family rooms. It's because of this that kitchens play such an important role in the buying and selling process.
This one room is the showpiece of the house. You'll see it every day and your guests will see it during most visits. This means buyers want homes with a family friendly kitchen.
Kitchens, however, can be one of the most expensive rooms to renovate. These projects can also be the most labour and time intensive of all home renovations. It's not just a new layer of paint.
Instead you will find a complicated array of flooring, tiling, cupboards and counters. This means buyers may want a home with a feature kitchen but they aren't willing to tackle this problem themselves. Most buyers want a kitchen that is ready to use the day they move in.
What do buyers look for in up-to-date kitchens? A lot of this depends on what price range your home is in.
The main thing to remember as a seller is to not price yourself out of your market. If homes in your neighbourhood are selling for R750 000 with tidy, but not luxury kitchens, then this is no time to upgrade to granite, travertine, and marble at the price tag of R200 000. You simply won't find a buyer.
Scope out the competition. Use open houses in your area to find out what your competitions' kitchens look like.
Are you in a higher-end neighbourhood? It's time to think high-end. Your older home may have a highly functional kitchen, but a buyer will take one look at your melamine counters and appliances and become lost in the stress of how much money and time it would take to remodel. If you don't want to put in the time yourself to make upgrades then you'll have to make concessions in the price.
Don't become overwhelmed, though. Sometimes a kitchen update can mean doing just a few minor changes. Change the paint color to a warm, neutral tone. Get rid of any clutter. Update your appliances. Use faux-granite or lower end granite. You might even save a bundle by doing much of the work yourself.
The bottom line is a kitchen can sell a home. Do a little research and find out what your kitchen needs to make it competitive with other properties on the market in your area.
