Kitchen Updates to Sell a Home - #2 APPLIANCES

by Alicia Herring August 21, 2019

A kitchen is the heart of the home and a top selling feature. But what are buyers really looking for in a kitchen and which updates will pay off?

The right appliances are vital when selling your home. Read on for my best advice for appliance updates that look beautiful and won't cost a lot. I promise!

Appealing Appliances

When you're selling it's hard to justify spending a lot on upgrades that stay with the house. But, if there is one place I recommend updating, it's the kitchen. And, if there is a most important feature, it's the appliances. While you can repaint cabinets, add current pulls and knobs to cabinet doors and drawers, or make do with a dated backsplash, there's just no getting around old or mismatched appliances.

1. Make them match. A white range, a stainless refrigerator, and a black dishwasher is a nightmare to a buyer. Swap out mismatched appliances and go with a current finish, like stainless, throughout. Don't worry about black stainless, or slate, or any of the new trendy colors. Unless your home is in the top price range for your market, white, black, or stainless will work when selling.

2. Forgo bells, whistles, and designer brands. While a refrigerator should have an ice maker, I wouldn't be too concerned whether or not it has ice and water in the door. A newer model, French door or bottom-freezer refrigerator without this feature won't be a turn-off to the average buyer. And, a standard oven and stove top are perfectly acceptable for resale. In fact, I've found that convection cook tops not only cost more and require specific cookware, but also confuse buyers. The average buyer (myself included) isn't a culinary connoisseur and often doesn't understand how convection cooking works. Lastly, don't get caught in the Wolf and Sub-Zero frenzy. If your home isn't one of those in the top price range of your local real estate market, buyers won't expect to find these brands in your kitchen.
3. Keep it sleek. Match appliance brands across the kitchen, whenever possible. Choose a dishwasher with a concealed control panel or opt for a slide-in range rather than freestanding for a high-end look. Remember that 90 percent of buyers will see photos of your kitchen before they visit your home. Matching, streamlined appliances will make your kitchen look polished in photos and help physically draw buyers through the front door.

Updated appliances matter but you don't have to break the bank to give buyers a kitchen they'll love!

👉 Check back next week for another Kitchen Update or sign up here to receive a reminder by email.

In the last post we talked about cabinetry and weighed the options of updating cabinetry by replacing, refacing, and refinishing. Any of these options can have a transformative result. Which is right for your kitchen and your budget? Learn more HERE.