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How Your Kitchen Can Help Sell Your Home

The majority of people looking at your home will have to cook. Therefore, the one room they will look at with the most scrutiny is your kitchen.

Not only is the kitchen the one room that is the hub of activity in preparing meals, eating, and even sorting mail, the kitchen has long been a place for people to just "hang out." More and more people say that the kitchen is the heart of their home.

A recent study shows that as many as 85 percent of buyers consider the kitchen to be a huge deciding factor in their buying decision.

Even if you don't have the time or finances to do a complete kitchen overhaul with custom cabinets and granite countertops, you can still spruce up the kitchen without spending bundle of money. These changes will greatly add value to your kitchen and to the sale of your home.

• Apply a fresh coat of paint. Stay with neutral colors and use a satin or semi-gloss finish for easy clean up.
• Consider new countertops. You would be surprised at how many quality materials there are to choose from that are not expensive. If you have a harvest gold or avocado green countertop from the 1970s, this small investment will make a huge difference.
• Create or update a backsplash. Using tile even stainless steel, you can change the entire appearance of the areas above the stove and sink.
• Sinks and faucets. Now is a great time to change out the chipped or stained sink with a new one, complete with new faucets, which come in a wide variety of materials and colors. Stainless steel sinks are highly recommended for two reasons. First, they look great, and second, they are the best choice for keeping bacteria down.
• Don't be afraid to accessorize. If the hardware on your cabinets is old and dingy, add new hardware. If your curtains or blinds are outdated, hang a fresh, fun pair of curtains to allow a lot of light into the room.
• Remove the clutter. Although empty counters aren't very attractive, neither are countertops that are so cluttered with all the latest technology that the buyer can't even envision their own things in the kitchen. Keep it neat and organized.
• Let as much light into the room as possible. This will provide a nice, cheery atmosphere. If your kitchen overlooks a patio or deck, make sure the outdoor area is also neat and that there is a nice view from the kitchen to the outside.
• Show off functionality. For example, if your kitchen has a nice desk for paying bills, show it off. If there are other special features such as a trash compactor, or chilled wine rack, make sure those are pointed out as well.
• Appliances count. Make sure all your appliances are clean and in good working order. Don't think someone will bypass looking in the oven, because they won't.
• Provide a pleasant aroma. If someone is getting ready to come through your house or if your agent is getting ready to host an open house, start baking. The fragrance of fresh-baked bread or goodies will add a nice homey feel to your home the minute buyers walk into your home.

Before you put your home on the market, look around the kitchen and make sure it's what you would look for in a home. If not, make appropriate changes.

A hot item in kitchens today is stainless steel. The gourmet look of stainless steel stoves, refrigerators, and sinks is appealing to many home buyers. Although you probably can't go out and buy all new appliances, try to make sure they at least match. (For example, a stainless steel range with a white microwave will draw unwanted attention.)

Consider changing out your hardware with stainless steel, or even use stainless steel accessories.

To make your kitchen more functional, you might consider adding a center island to provide more counter space, have shelves built on the wall.

Finally, one huge selling point in any kitchen is good lighting. If you have little to no natural lighting in your kitchen, you can add in good fluorescent or recessed lighting. Also, don’t overlook the possibility of installing under-cabinet lighting for a warm, sophisticated, upscale look.