The All Important Kitchen

"Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses"   This is a common saying throughout the real estate industry and it happens to be very true. Kitchens are the living rooms of yesteryear because it is the room in which people gather for all sorts of events, from breakfast to dinner parties to holiday events. Back in the day, the living room was the gathering place. If some of you reading this grew up during the 1960s and 70s, you may remember that the living room was the “sacred” room where no child dare enter or even think about sitting on the sofa, or touching the displayed items, or this was the place for adults.  The irony of this is that the living room was the room where adults gathered for all types of occasions and was almost always out of sight from the kitchen! No one wanted their guests to see the dreaded kitchen!

Enter the housing changes of the 1980s and 1990s where big, open kitchens and great rooms became the new living room. Now you can’t seem to get your guests to leave the kitchen and living rooms are so small that you can barely fit a sofa in one!

What does all of this mean? It means that many buyers are looking for that special gathering place, that place where people can feel comfortable and where entertaining can take place. The majority of the time, this is the kitchen. However, instead of being the formal gathering place, it is the comfortable space, the space that allows for many tasks to be performed from cooking, to homework, to crafts, to holiday dinners. 

What does all of this mean if I am selling my home? It means that buyers will scrutinize your kitchen and ask themselves a number of questions with the number one being: How old is the kitchen and does it need to be updated or renovated?  The second one being:  Does this kitchen allow for numerous people and activities?

Prior to buyers inspecting, dissecting, and evaluating your kitchen all at the same time, take a good, long look at your kitchen. Ask yourself the two questions above and then all the questions below as honestly as you can. 

·         Is my kitchen small, medium, or large?

·         What do the walls look like, eg, wallpaper, paint, etc.? 

·         What type of flooring is in the kitchen? Is it warm or cold? Is it clean?

·         Is the kitchen open to other rooms/areas of the house?

·         Do you like being in this space? If not, why not?

·         Is the kitchen dark or bright? If it is dark, why is it dark?

·         Are there windows? What do you see from each of them? Is it pleasing?

·         What type of window treatments are on the windows?

·         Is there an island or eat-in area where people can comfortably gather? (The operative word being comfortably.)

·         Is there adequate counter space?

·         What kinds of counters are in the kitchen? How do they look? What color are they?

·         Are the counters full of “stuff?”

·         Can more than one person cook at a time?  If not, why not?

·         What type of sink is in the kitchen? Is it too small?

·         What type of faucet and does it work well?

·         Is the cabinetry appealing, eg, wood species such as maple, oak, cherry, or nicely painted?

·         Are the cabinets in good shape and in working order, eg, drawers are smooth, outsides are clean, no glaring dings, dents, warps, etc.?

·         What kind of hardware is on the cabinetry? Is it dirty, tarnished, worn, etc.? If there is no hardware, why not?

·         Are the appliances contemporary, eg, color, style, size?  Are the appliances clean? Do they all go together?

·         Is there adequate ventilation over the range?

 

 Once you have answered these questions, you can prioritize those items that need attention. Remember, you are trying to appeal to buyers, not encourage them to reject your home. You are also trying to achieve the highest sales price possible and by facing the facts about the most important room in the house, you can!

 

We have helped many of our clients with rejuvenation of their kitchens from new paint to full blown renovation. We can provide you with various types of ideas, recommendations, contractors, etc., to get started. We also encourage our clients to take on some of the work themselves to save costs if they have the time and inclination. Either way, turning your kitchen into a present-day, inviting, warm, open space will help sell your house.