When You Sell Your House, You're Really Selling Your Kitchen
The kitchen is the most used room in a house. It is the crossroads of every home, no matter whether the house is occupied by a single person, or a large family.
Go into a house occupied by a family and notice that the family calendar showing school events, dance lessons, piano recitals, and vacations is posted on the refrigerator. The kindergartener's latest piece of art is also posted on the refrigerator.
Most meals are eaten at the kitchen table. It's the place where singles or families touch base two or three times a day. Lots of folks recognize a meal as a sacred event with a prayer.
Meals that nourish our bodies are prepared in the kitchen. No matter whether the meal is a gourmet project made from scratch, or a microwave wonder that is ready in four minutes in the microwave in four minutes, meal preparation is an intimate process. It's a vital part of life.
When you sell your house, buyers are looking at the kitchen first and foremost. That's the primary room they use to judge whether your house is worthy of their money.
Does your kitchen look fresh and new, with new appliances, and granite/stainless steel/marble/Corian counter tops, new floor, and sexy lighting? That's great!! That's what buyers are looking for.
Or, does your kitchen have fifteen year-old almond appliances, fifteen year-old vinyl floors, formica counters, and old lighting? Boo!! That's what buyers just updated in their own houses so they could sell them. That's not what buyers are looking for. You could sit with your house unsold for a long, long time.
If you sell your house with an old kitchen, you'll likely sell it at a discount to entice folks to buy it, so you would be better off financially to update the kitchen, and sell it for top dollar.
For example, let's say that houses like yours with updated kitchens have sold for $560,000-$565,000, while houses with old kitchens have sold for $515,000-$525,000.
New counters: $10,000
New cabinets: $12,000
New appliances: $ 6,000
New floor: $ 3,000
New lights: $ 600
Total $31,600
If you are concerned about over-improving your house, just add $31,600 to $525,000, and you get $556,600, well below the prices of improved homes with new kitchens in your neighborhood.
Every house is different, and every market is different, so before you dive head-first into a remodeling job with big dollars in your eyes, get a computerized market analysis (CMA) from your family REALTOR.
If you don't have a family REALTOR, text or call me, Erick Blackwelder, at 703-677-1120, with your address, and an email address where I should send your CMA.
You can also request a CMA on my website.
You'll get to see listings of homes similar to yours in your neighborhood that are for sale, and listings of homes that have sold. You'll see color photos and get descriptions.
When you sell your house, and shop for a new house, you'll find that updated kitchens and baths are common.
You'll get the opportunity to find out what your competion has that you don't have.
You can get a FREE CMA by texting your address and email address to 703-677-1120, or visit the CMA page on my website.
Erick Blackwelder
Exit Choice Realty
Equal Housing Opportunity
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