5 considerations to help you decide if you should reface your cabinets or just replace them altogether:
Lots of people start the new year by planning ahead – vacations and cities to visit, personal goals to accomplish and ultimately the changes to their home in the coming year. At the top of the home list is almost always (unless you’ve recently renovated) a kitchen or bath upgrade.
One of the most common questions I get is whether to reface or remodel cabinets. The answer is simple – it depends on your current situation… To help make the right decision I’ve made a list of the top 5 considerations to help you evaluate and decide. Super excited you are going to upgrade your kitchen this year!
“Kitchens and baths sell houses!” – Becky DeMond, Remax Agent
Many of our Cabinets Now clients come to us for kitchen, bath, and flooring renovations before putting their home on the market. We sat down with Becky DeMond, the Metro East’s premier Remax realtor, to see how our research aligns with her experience in selling homes for the last 20 years…
1) Kitchens
All of the research indicates an investment in your kitchen yields the highest return; as many as 80% of homeowners list the kitchen as their favorite room. Becky agreed, “An outdated kitchen makes for a harder sale. I always recommend an update when possible because homes with an updated kitchen spend less time on the market and sell for a higher price.”
The good news is that a major kitchen remodel isn’t necessary. Replacing cabinets, upgrading countertops, replacing worn out appliances or light fixtures won’t break the bank while making a tremendous difference. Consumer Reports suggests a 3-7% bump in the sale price of your home by making these simple updates. They suggest using buzzwords like “Quartz Countertops”, “All Wood Cabinets” and “Stainless Steel” to attract buyers.
2) Bathrooms
Experts agree a bathroom that looks worn out, old or dirty is a turn off for buyers. Luckily a minor bathroom remodel doesn’t have to be expensive to make a big impact. Studies have shown that even a minor bathroom remodel can provide a 102% return on investment. Affordable changes like a granite or quartz vanity or better lighting can make a big difference at the time of sale.
“When the bathroom is small, I recommend a vanity with storage to save space” advises Becky. She continued, “granite or quartz in the bathroom is an easy change that totally transforms the space. Kitchens and baths sell houses!”
3) Paint
Paint is always the most cost effective way to update your interior and make a big impact. “I always recommend an update to a neutral color with a wider appeal when a home has a very personal color scheme,” shared Becky.
If you decide to update your paint, you could produce as much as a 109% return on your investment, studies suggest. Sherwin Williams paint color, Accessible Beige (SW 7036) and Benjamin Moore Gray Owl (2137-60) are both excellent choices. Both are lovely neutrals with wide appeal that compliment almost all decor.
4) Increase Your Square Footage
Although a much larger investment, finishing your basement or enclosing a deck or sun room could help bring more dollars for your home. “It is important to make the investment into space that is livable and not to invest too much if your home is already in line with the square footage of your neighbors,” Becky explained.
Consumer Reports agrees that you could potentially bump your sold price by 4 to 6% by adding more space. It is important to heed Becky’s advice and understand the comparable homes in your neighborhood. Adding another bath might make more sense if other comparable homes have more than your home.
Ready to Renovate?
If you’ve considered making updates to your kitchen or bathroom, Cabinets Now is here to help.
We offer high-quality designer cabinets and countertops for the lowest price. Our cabinets are made from real wood, so you can get the designer kitchen or bathroom you dream of at a fraction of the price you would pay at the big box stores. We offer a wide selection of granite, quartz, quartzite and marble and professional granite installation, removal, and disposal services for your old countertops.
Becky joined the Real Estate market in 1999, she’s since become a specialist in the real estate fields including Buyer’s Agent, Listing Agent, in Relocations and Short Sales. Rebecca has listed and sold Residential, Multi-family and Commercial Real Estate.
Becky is the Team Leader of The DeMond Team, which consists of an additional fantastic agent, Chris McKinney, a Marketing Specialist Lauren DeMond and Office Manager Megan LeBlanc.
The DeMond Team is hard at work daily to find the right location for the buyers and the right buyers for our sellers. With over 22 years of combined experience, The DeMond Team is a great choice for your real estate needs. Let The DeMond Team work hard for you!
Like most metro-east suburbanites, we NEVER enter through our front door. Of course, I spend time every season updating the front door with flowers (Mums/Vincas/lighted fir) and a wreath. I recently added these amazing lightbulbs that make my front porch lights glow like lanterns. All of this would create a beautiful welcome for me and for visitors. The only problem is that nobody ever uses that front door. Like ever. Oh wait – UPS does get to enjoy it very much (#PrimeMember).
I am always hustling through the garage (carrying something – groceries, my 15 pound purse, backpacks, coffee, etc) carefully avoiding the bikes and tools so that I can get to the mudroom and set it all down.
For a long time that mudroom was a complete disaster – terrible paint, the worst vinyl flooring, and nowhere to hang coats, bags & backpacks and absolutely no decor to speak of. Unless you count the washer, dryer and fridge. No function or form. What would the Feng Shui masters think of my situation?
Transforming my space to serve me – both in function and form was actually easier than anticipated with these high impact changes:
CABINETS & GRANITE NOW 