Natwerk Designs - Do we need to update our kitchen to sell our house?

Do we need to update our kitchen to sell our house?

Our house is old, but nice. Nothing major wrong with it. It's got old-fashioned doors, weathered trim, and the bathrooms have old-fashioned tile (in nice condition). We've added new tile and stainless appliances to our kitchen. Would it be worth it to put in new cabinets (old ones are old-fashioned and the stain is fading, but otherwise in good condition), windows (we have a large window that has moisture in between the panes beause a seal is broken--it's pretty obvious) and countertops (they are not fancy or modern, but in great condition) to finish off the "updated" look, or is it not going to make a difference to sell our house? We don't want to over-do it in our 80's style house. The other houses in the neighborhood are similiar in age and not really updated.

Public Comments

No, for 3 reasons.. 1) the real estate market is crashing -- and probably will continue to drop for another year. Average home values will drop 1% - 2%per month. Sell ASAP. 2) Sounds like your kitchen is not that bad 3) Unclear if what you think is great will appeal to a particular buyer... what if they have different tastes? Then your investment will have been a waste.
How many other houses in your area, similar to yours, are now for sale..? To compete for sale, I would refurbish the existing cabinets and keep the cost down, as a new owner may want to do their own make-over and wouldn't appreciate "your" taste in cabinets and the cost they'll think you've added to your price. On the other hand, if you can afford it, you might completely redecorate, especially if there are houses near you for sale, making your house stand out. One time, our house sold in 2 months while other houses were for sale for 2 years, mainly because of the landscaped yard, with a terraced back yard.
You likely won't see a dollar for dollar return on any improvements to your home. Any improvements should be done only if it will directly help you sell the home. Personally, if there is a lot of homes in your neighborhood for sale, you may want to find away to make your house different with some updating. It really comes down to price. Go see some of the homes your home would be competing against at the price you want. See how your home compares. Would you pay more for your home or less. Think of it like a buyer. Once you know approximately how your home compares. You'll know if any updates will be worth the cost.
Where are you selling the house, please remember that this is a world wide site!! The housing market where I am is booming. The 15% extra I paid six months ago for my house is now the asking price in my area, woo hoo I have just made a cool £20,000, which the banks will swallow up but its still a nice thought. My advice is to make any property as move in ready as possible but to decorate in a neutral pallet. Do not decorate to your own tastes as not every one will like them. It is amazing what a good clean, polish and paint can do for a kitchen. Any buyer with their head screwed on will ask you to fix the little things like the window seals. Being able to stamp their own personality on what could be their home will be a major plus to most buyers. Take a look at what homes have sold in your area within the last six months and (even better if on sale now) and see how they look inside. If they have sold quickly see if you can get hold of a property guide or spec sheet with photos on it and see what they looked like as a rough guide. It is never worth spending tons of time or money doing a property up to sell as a buyer will probably go in and undo everything you do (at least I did). Just make sure it is fresh and clean looking (minimalistic approaches often work best). Good luck" !
Don't do it. Most regions are seeing a Real Estate slowdown right now, and even in a hot market you aren't likely to get 100% of your kitchen-remodel investment back. Plus if the new kitchen isn't to the buyer's taste, they'll just re-do it anyhow. If anything looks really yucky, spend a modest amount to repair it. But it doesn't sound like that's your problem. Clear out all clutter, take off the window coverings if you can, make sure the paint is fresh and everything's sparkling clean -- that's the best way to get a good return on your investment.
Fix the window and offer some money back at closing for the kitchen "re-Do". Phrase it in the ad like you want the buyer to do it to their own taste. Your agent will help with this. Good Luck and the market is still strong in many areas
It may help your home sell faster compared to the other homes in your area if they do not have an updated kitchen. With the market the way it is now updates are helping sell you home faster and not getting you much more money. But this could save you some mortgage payments and that can add up quick. Matt http://www.diversifiedlender.com http://www.homemortgageminnesota.com/ http://www.refinance-second-mortgage.biz http://www.minnesota-mortgage-rates.net http://www.realestateagentlive.com/