Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Is Redoing the Kitchen Worth It During Low Home Sales Period?

This has been a question that has seen much press and attention when referring to homes sales. Kitchens are a popular room to redo before selling a home as they are one of the classic "show points" in any home show. Also it is a room that can be very easily improved and upgraded. New appliances and countertops can bring new life to a kitchen and indeed this is one of the first rooms that people consider upgrading when closing in on selling time.

The question remains; will you be able to justify the costs of the new kitchen in the asking price? This is a question that should be investigated thoroughly from all angles. Take a look at the average asking price of homes in your area. Make sure that you also look at what they are actually selling for. If your home is already worth that amount your new kitchen may price your home out of the local market and that is never good as it becomes much more difficult to sell a home that is higher priced than it's comps.
Instead of redoing the entire kitchen, why not concentrate on a few things that will spruce up the way it looks? Putting up a new coat of paint is always a good place to start. This goes for all rooms by the way. If your appliances don't match then this is another thing that should be seen to. Matching appliances seem to bring a kitchen together in a way that paint or wallpaper can't seem to do. As one of the main social centers of a home a kitchen should be more than just clean and updated.
It should have a feeling to it that is warm and welcoming. Kitchens that are cold and bland seen to feel very utilitarian and lack the warmth of properly done kitchens. This is the one place that your family will gather every day so it stands to reason that it should be the most welcoming room possible. The choice is up to you of course. If you feel that the cost of redoing the room can be supported by the asking price and the likely closing price then go ahead! You will definitely not have trouble impressing buyers with the new custom kitchen.
Eric Badgley is a motivated and professional realtor located in beautiful Whatcom County. For information on Bellingham WA real estate contact Eric for bellingham real estate or visit online at http://www.bellingham-realestate.net

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