Timothy E. Lockhart - HOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT IMPROVE VALUES

Unless you have a very modern kitchen with point-of-use refrigerators, drawer microwaves, and everything else hidden behind cabinet doors, a buyer’s eyes are naturally going to be drawn to the appliances. If they are clearly old, whether a white that’s gone dingy with from of use or even the dreaded avocado green, they will be sure to turn the buyer off. A relatively inexpensive solution is to replace your older appliances with new ones sporting a stainless-steel finish. It offers the same look, feel, and protection of full stainless at a lower cost. And if you are not listing for a while, don’t feel like you need to replace everything all at once. Take it one at a time — just make sure they match when it comes time to sell. As for what to get, stay away from the luxury brands, they just don’t bring enough ROI. Look for a good consumer brand with solid reviews. Keep in mind when replacing appliances that sleek is in. If you have an old electric coil stove, get rid of it, replacing it with a smooth top stove. Where possible, budget allowing, put in a cook-top separate from the oven and put the oven in the wall, opening at approximately waist height. If your fridge has a massive ice-maker with tons of buttons, consider looking for a replacement with a water filter mounted on the inside, keeping it out of sight. In general, the less busy the visible surface, the better.

CABINETS

Cabinets can easily be the second most, or even the most expensive aspect of a kitchen remodel. If you have the money, replacing all the cabinets with a contemporary style that focuses on simplicity will serve you well. When doing this, get cabinets

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