“They’ll Just Want to Make It Their Own.” Think again.
Which kitchen can you see yourself in??
Some good friends are thinking about selling their home.
Their kitchen isn't terrible. But it's dated. The cabinets have seen better days, the countertops are formica, and dark colors make an already small space feel smaller.
When we talked about a possible update, their response was, “Whoever buys it will just want to make it their own anyway.”
In a few cases, they might be right. But the reality is that buyers don't necessarily want to make everything their own. They want the opportunity to make it their own.
And those are two very different things.
Buyers Have a Hard Time Seeing Past Dated Kitchens
Not everyone has the ability—or desire—to mentally remodel a room. I can’t tell you how many times a buyer has pivoted for the door as soon as they’ve seen a kitchen in need of work.
When buyers walk into a dated kitchen, most aren’t thinking:
“Great! I'll replace those countertops, paint those cabinets, install new lighting, change the backsplash and update the hardware.”
More often they’re thinking: “Ugh.” And that brings up money. And time. And inconvenience.
And suddenly, your $600,000 house feels like a $650,000 house to just get to ground zero.
“They'll Just Change It Anyway” Isn't the Same as “It Doesn't Matter”
You're not creating the buyer’s forever kitchen.
You're renovating—or updating strategically—to make the house appealing enough that the buyer wants to buy it in the first place.
Your goal is to create a kitchen that doesn't give buyers a reason to say no.
Maybe it's:
Painting the cabinets
Replacing dated hardware
Updating the countertops
Installing a modern backsplash
Replacing an old light fixture
Updating the faucet
Adding fresh paint
Why Credits Often Don’t Work
Another common response is:
“Fine. I'll just give the buyer a $15,000 credit at closing so they can do whatever they want.”
That sounds reasonable. But the reality is that credits often don’t resonate with buyers when they’re turned off from the start. And you can't negotiate with a buyer who never writes an offer.
A buyer needs to walk into the kitchen and think:
“I can live with this.”
That's a much lower—and much more achievable—bar.
So Don't Over-Improve
Consider:
The price range of the home
The neighborhood
The condition of the rest of the house
What competing homes look like
What buyers expect in that particular market
How much the improvement is likely to cost
And how much value it could realistically add
Sometimes a major remodel makes sense. Sometimes a $5,000 cosmetic refresh is the better investment. And a good agent will help you land on the best strategy.
And if you really don’t have it in you to update? Do nothing and price the house accordingly.
And Here’s Some Awesome News
Through our concierge program, we are now able to offer sellers up to $25,000 for improvements prior to listing. And that money – interest free - does not need to be repaid until closing. It’s awesome added value.
So when you’re ready to sell and wondering what the best approach may be, give me a call!