9 Small (But Mighty) Home Updates Agents Recommend Before Listing
Kitchens Are the Heart of The Home Investment: Why A Refresh is a No-Brainer
Kitchens are a huge selling point in homes. In our recent survey of buyers, 7 out of 10 said they would buy a home if it had a gorgeous kitchen.1 Even though housing inventory is low, buyers are not interested in fixer-uppers. Especially if the kitchen leaves much to be desired, your listing will simply get passed over.
Why A Refresh is Such a No-Brainer
Maybe your listing’s kitchen can’t live up to those featured on HGTV, but it can probably get a lot closer than you imagined. Although a first look may have led you to believe that the room needs to be gutted, this is often not the case. In many scenarios, a little bit can go a long way in transforming an okay cooking space into a buyer’s dream kitchen.
Updating kitchens before going on market can have a huge impact on how buyers perceive your listing. These updates often do not need to be drastic either. Instead, a simple refresh to the room can make a huge difference.
Compared to full remodels, home refreshes often have:
- Lower project costs
- Shorter work timelines
- Impactful results
All in all, a refresh really is a no-brainer.
See For Yourself
A refresh can include various types of projects. These smaller updates do not require pulling permits or changing the layout of the room, but they can still have a big impact. The proof is in the pudding. Check out these past Curbio projects, and the updates we made to give the existing kitchen a boost.
Paint is All You Need
The magic of a fresh coat of paint should not be underestimated. Not only should the walls of the home be repainted, but also the kitchen cabinets can be too. This quick fix can eliminate the high project costs that come with replacing cabinetry while still helping the kitchen look like new.
Hello, Stainless Steel
Stainless-steel appliances are on many buyers’ wish lists. If your listing is sporting visibly dated appliances instead, you can expect to lose some buyers’ interest. Replacing these appliances with newer ones (even better, stainless-steel ones) can give the kitchen an upscale vibe that can help draw in experienced home chefs. Because payment is deferred until closing, your clients can opt for those stainless-steel appliances that may have otherwise been out of reach.
Checkered Be Gone
If your listing has worn or out-of-style checkered flooring like the one seen above, it will be much harder to sell for a good price. Refinishing or replacing the floor can make the room look like new. To decrease projects costs, we opted for luxury vinyl flooring for this particular project, but we have a wide selection of flooring options in various budgets to meet your clients’ needs.
Granite is Great
Wooden countertops can look dated and sometimes even low quality. We replaced the existing countertops with new granite ones. This update alone gave the kitchen a more contemporary look. From granite to quartz, we have a curated catalog of the best kitchen countertops that today’s buyers love.
Attention to Detail Matters
As an agent, you know that sometimes just a small change can have a huge impact. Updating the hardware like adding new pulls and knobs took this good kitchen and helped make it great. At Curbio, we can help you fix more of these little details to elevate your listings as a whole.
Staging is a Must
The final touch to getting a gorgeous kitchen that buyers will love is to stage it. Staging a kitchen can help show off the room’s best features and its potential. Without it, the kitchen may be missing the wow factor it needs to stand out against other listings. Add staging to any Curbio project or just stage now, pay when you sell.
Get Started with Curbio
If you are ready to get the same results for your listings, we want to help. We not only help you and your clients decide on which projects take priority but also which materials and styles to use. We are also the agent’s contractor, so we take care of the planning process and all the details that come with these home improvement projects.
Stop waiting to get started. Try a free listing home improvement estimate today.
Sources:
1. Curbio (2022). Preparing to Sell: 2022 Home Improvement Report
More Refresh Projects
Modern Chicago Refresh
A quick makeover in some select areas was all that was needed to make this Chicago home one buyers would love.
Chic Orlando Refresh
This open-concept ranch home in Orlando was a few refined details away from flying off the market. After a chic refresh, the homeowner was ecstatic.
Sophisticated San Diego Refresh
This San Diego apartment had a stunning view in a premier location, but the interior didn’t match the luxurious living. With a pre-listing refresh and the work of our partner HomeSmart, the agent got the listing ready for sale.
