The Jill Harris Dream Team
UnClog the Blog!
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Improving the Value of Your HomePart I – The Kitchen
(Most important room in the house for Resale!)
As real estate prices rise in many of the Middle Tennessee areas we serve, homeowners are able to just sit back and watch their equity roll in. The housing market has it's own in the stock market.But you don’t have to patiently wait for the market to add value to your house. Be proactive now! Make an honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of your property and find ways to enhance them by adding physical value; making the right home improvements.This could mean a project as big as renovating a kitchen or something as small as sprucing up the landscaping in front of your house for added curb appeal. Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, the goal is to give your house what we call the "WOW Factor" you want something that will make your home stand out from the competition.When creating "WOW" spaces in your home, remember that people buy three things: Neatness, Cleanliness and Brightness. So whichever projects you choose, plan to lighten your dark spaces, visually open up areas that seem small and by all means, remove clutter! The bigger the spaces look, the more a potential buyer can visualize THEIR belongings in your house.In the following paragraphs, we suggest a few home improvement ideas that will definitely add value:
"The Kitchen" Everybody winds up in the kitchen. And now more than ever, the hub of the family is focused in the kitchen – so that is usually the one room you can count on to "sell" the house all by itself. And whether you invest a little or a lot, you should see a substantial payoff. The average return on an upgraded kitchen is 168% of the investment.A few minor improvements can add significant value here: Consider painting the cabinets – nothing changes the look of a kitchen faster. Or, give the cabinets extra flair by staining them with three different stains: a light shade on the upper cabinets, one slightly darker on the drawers, and the darkest on the bottom cabinets. But remember not to instill your particular design colors, keep the colors neutral so you appeal to the masses when reselling your home. Probably the easiest (and least expensive) way to update the look of your kitchen is to install new cabinet hardware. Crown molding placed where the cabinets meet the ceiling creates an elegant look.
"The Kitchen" Everybody winds up in the kitchen. And now more than ever, the hub of the family is focused in the kitchen – so that is usually the one room you can count on to "sell" the house all by itself. And whether you invest a little or a lot, you should see a substantial payoff. The average return on an upgraded kitchen is 168% of the investment.A few minor improvements can add significant value here: Consider painting the cabinets – nothing changes the look of a kitchen faster. Or, give the cabinets extra flair by staining them with three different stains: a light shade on the upper cabinets, one slightly darker on the drawers, and the darkest on the bottom cabinets. But remember not to instill your particular design colors, keep the colors neutral so you appeal to the masses when reselling your home. Probably the easiest (and least expensive) way to update the look of your kitchen is to install new cabinet hardware. Crown molding placed where the cabinets meet the ceiling creates an elegant look.
Accent lighting is especially popular especially in the kitchen. It creates drama where you wouldn't expect it. An inexpensive solution is the purchase a rope light from a hardware store that can be hidden on top of your cabinets and easily plugs in to any outlet. While you’re at it, add a tile or beadboard backsplash to the countertop. It is exyremely important to coordinate all of your appliances in color and style but not necessarily brand name. Perhaps the most popular look for kitchens today is stainless steel appliances. "Silver" appliances gives that same stainless steel look but resists finger prints. Maintaining one color theme will also make your kitchen look more polished and efficient. If your existing dishwasher is white and the rest of your appliances are black, don’t despair – most modern dishwashers come with interchangeable covers, so try flipping it over and replacing just the facing.
The kitchen will receive the most traffic in your home and the flooring will be the first thing a potential buyer will notice. Again, neutral tile is a winner to please most of the market. Homeowners who upgrade their kitchen flooring have seen a 101% average return on their investment. If your kitchen has windows, consider dressing them up with wooden blinds or Roman shades made of colorful fabric. Just adding some sort of window treatment will brighten the room. Updating the light fixtures in your kitchen can help your house sell faster as well. Earlier, we discussed above cabinet lighting but it is important to also add under cabinet lighting. This addition is not just for looks but for functionality. Gourmet cooks will appreciate your enhancements – and you’ll appreciate them too! Considering the average return on investments made to change lighting and brighten up the kitchen is an incredible 865%! Complete the room by painting it a pleasant, neutral color that will compliment the colors of your countertops and appeal to the masses. The average return on investment for a fresh paint application in the kitchen is 148%!
Next Week's Unclog the Blog: "Updating the Bathroom".
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