I took off my princess hat and got a major reality check. It appears that kitchen remodeling on a shoestring budget is more fact than fiction. I listed a Glendale home not too far from where I was raised. The kitchen and bath need updating and I have been researching remodeling trends and pricing. I interviewed three companies, one specializes in kitchen cabinet refacing and the others specialize in new cabinets and kitchen remodels.
There are a lot of options and I had fun redesigning our client’s kitchen. I believe white shaker cabinets will be a good choice for this home which is ideal for first time buyers. Granite is less costly than Ceasarstone. The cooktop is electric, which should be replaced with a gas stove. Sacrificing the hallway door will make room for an extra bank of cabinets.
If my clients spends about $15,000 remodeling the kitchen, I know they will sell for a lot more. But everyone has their own taste, and while I love the clean simplicity of shaker cabinets, I am not the buyer. The good news is that even if we don’t recommend that the seller update the kitchen, we have the facts and estimates to present to potential home buyers.
The question is how far should these Glendale home sellers go in preparing their home for sale? The home’s one bathroom sorely needs a redo, and the home doesn’t have central air conditioning. My clients have moved so any home preparation and primping won’t be an inconvenience. The upfront cost will be repaid in a substantially higher selling price.
Now that my clients are armed with facts and figures, how far do you think they will go in preparing this home for sale? When selling your home, remember every situation is different. It’s important to hire a Realtor who doesn’t have a one size fits all marketing strategy.
I am no expert but in my mind the lack of central air is a big turn off for a potential buyer. when I was house hunting I refused to look at anything without central air conditioning.