Looking for a High Return on Your Home, Upgrade Your Kitchen

By now we all know, the housing market is in a slump natiowide, and if you are one of those sellers that must sell, here are a few tips that might increase your chances of selling your home. If you aren`t selling your home, then you can use these ideas just to increase its value.

There are a variety of small items that if addressed can sell your home faster and at a higher value, however none are more important than addressing your kitchen and bath areas.

In this article we are going to talk about the kitchen. Kitchens that are roomy and modernized are the way to go. When I say roomy, I mean, its easy for someone to maneuver without being in the way of someone else, or something else. If your kitchen is small, and you have the room and the budget, start with expansion. Increase its size, so you can add more cabinets, bigger appliances, more counter top space etc.

The next thing you want to look at is upgrading the counter tops and the cabinets. I have seen so many times, homes that have beautiful granite or corian countertops, yet have builder grade cabinets installed. Yikes, what a mess. You will want to upgrade these at the same time. Nothing like having granite countertops with real solid wood cabinets to go with them. This is an immediate boost to your value and appeal.

Don`t overlook the flooring. The trend today is hardwood floors through the house, however if that is out of the budget, and for most of us it is, put down a nice cermic tile. Something that obviously matches the color of the cabinets and countertops. You can pick from a variety of style and colors from various retailers. They range from the low end (which is still decent) of $1.20 per square foot upwards to over $3.00 per square foot.

Today, when it comes to appliances, nothing screams louder for value then stainless. You will want a good sized fridge, with icemaker, a stove, with range top (if you can budget in the 6 burner type, even better), a microwave range hood and of course a dishwasher. This is the 21st century, no one wants to wash dishes by hand anymore. If it`s within your budget, have a garbage disposal installed. Although I have never read a single study that suggests it adds value to your home, a lot of buyers that I have talked to, do look for it as a nice additive.

There you have it, upgrade to your kitchen to add value and increase appeal. Sure some of these upgrades are expensive, but then again, there is no bigger investment you will ever make, than your home.

Submitted By: Michael C. Podlesny

About the Author:

Mike Podlesny is a freelance writer for Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows businesses and individuals to promote their products and services in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world.