What do you love looking at when you flip the pages of Architectural Digest? Doesn’t it feel relaxing to see modern and rustic kitchen designs? Don’t you feel a sense of envy when you look at the amazing kitchen interiors? Look around your house. If you’re putting it on the market tomorrow, will it attract potential homebuyers? What are they going to look for when they look around your house? None will attract as much attention as the kitchen.
Many home sellers carry out kitchen remodeling when they decide to sell a house. They understand that homebuyers look for a newly renovated kitchen. The cost is easier to recoup than any other kind of renovation in your home.
The kitchen is the heart and soul of your home, but it cannot stay as pristine as your dining room, bedroom, and living room. This is a workspace. This is where everyone gathers. It’s where the family eats. It’s storage space. It’s the room that easily gets dirty, outdated, and messy.
Homebuyers Want a Modern Kitchen
Realtors, designers, and experts agree that the cost of kitchen remodeling is easier to recoup. It also yields better returns during a resale. This is a room that most people want to invest in but don’t want to put any effort into. Although they are willing to pay for it, they aren’t willing to spend time and energy on a renovation project. Most homebuyers want to see these upgrades: stainless steel appliances, a granite countertop, double kitchen sinks, and a modern stove and oven.
Around 85% to 90% of consumers prefer to spend on a modern kitchen than in any other room in the house. It is estimated that homebuyers are willing to pay 5% to 15% more for a modern kitchen. The actual value depends on several factors, which include the state of the kitchen and the cost of the renovation.
Kitchen Deal-breakers for Homebuyers
Let other people look at your kitchen and go from there. Ask them for their honest opinion. Your broker should also give you advice on whether to renovate the kitchen or not. Potential homebuyers are going to pinpoint what they hate about your kitchen. This is always a point of contention for them. They will use these to argue against your asking price.
The five things they can use against you are food stains, signs of pests, shoddy remodeling projects, animal-related stuff, and clutter. If your kitchen is on the well-worn side, expect to get a lot of complaints about it. This might also be the reason you are not receiving offers for the house.
Is it any surprise that homebuyers are willing to spend more on home kitchens? People are innately social and food lovers. The kitchen is the one room in the house where you socialize, share, and experience many things. Just put yourself in the shoes of the homebuyer. If you have to choose one room in the house to spend your money on, what will it be? It will be the kitchen, won’t it? Even people who don’t love to cook prefer to have a pristine and modern kitchen.
