[Alty]

So we're going to be selling our home soon. We've been thinking about it for a very long time, keep putting a 2 year time limit on it, and every year we say "another 2 years". Well, we've finally decided that this time we mean it, 2 years!

Some specs on our home. We're the first and only owners, we had it built, and moved in in 1996, so it's around 18 years old. It's a bi-level, in a cul-de-sac, 1066 sq feet, which is only the square footage for the upper level. Large master bedroom, no ensuite but a bathroom a step out the door. The basement is done, so it's more like 2000 liveable square feet. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a large kitchen, two family rooms, a lot of storage, and of course a laundry room. It has a decent sized fenced in yard with a retaining wall because we're on the top of a hill. It has a nice sized deck coming off the kitchen. The basement has high ceilings, 9 feet, and the upstairs has vaulted ceilings. It's a nice home for a smaller family, we've just outgrown it (outgrew it 12 years ago actually) and we really want to realize our dream of moving to an acreage.

Anyway, it needs a bit of updating, so I'd like your advice. I know that kitchens and bathrooms sell the house. Our kitchen has white cabinets, and lots of them, tons of counter space, including a counter that is a seating area (it extends over, we have chairs on the opposite side, and people can eat off the counter. Hope that makes sense). It's a cooks kitchen for sure. Tons of room to cook or bake in.

The counters are a grey speckled nothing really special counters. They're in good shape, but dated.

So, if you were looking to buy a home, what would you want to see in the kitchen? I like the dark cabinets, granite counters, tile or laminate flooring, stainless steel appliances, but if a kitchen didn't have all that, I wouldn't care, I'd be willing to renovate. I just need the space, which our kitchen has. But I know that most people want move in ready.

So, if I'm going to spend money upgrading the house so we can sell it for a good price, what should I do?

Do you all prefer the modern look, like I do, or do you like white cabinets? Would you prefer to pick your own counter top and flooring? Should I spend the money knowing that it's my taste, which may not be someone else's taste? What about paint colors? Neutral, or would you care if there's some color?

I was thinking of painting the cabinets black, which would work really well with the existing counter tops, and then putting a grey laminate on the floor. Would that appeal to the majority? I was going to leave the countertops because people seem to be so picky about that.

Thoughts?

What do you want your home to look like? If you were in the market, what would you expect to see, or hope to see? What would you prefer? What would you not care about, and what would be a deal breaker?

Just post what you'd like to see in your home. I'll go with the majority. :)

[Wondergirl]

Maybe this will help (Chicago-area experience) -- MY husband and his brother had to sell their mother's townhome after she died two years ago. They decided to NOT do all sorts of improvements, but simply reduce the price, figuring a buyer's preferences and taste would trump anything they would change. This turned out to be a wise decision. For instance, they considered redoing the white kitchen cabinets and put in dark wood ones and also update the countertop. Many shoppers and the eventual buyer preferred the white ones -- the kitchen looked more spacious, white gave it a clean look -- and the fake chopping-block countertop stayed. They did remove the carpeting on the main level and put in Pergo flooring (living room and dining ell) and new tile (kitchen and bathroom). They only shampooed the second-floor carpeting, but did retile the upstairs bathroom floor. Wallpaper was removed and a neutral paint was used to cover the walls. Their main effort was to scrub everything and make the place look squeaky clean.

[Alty]

Sounds good WG. I myself don't want to spend money that won't pay off in the long run. There are some things that need to be replaced simply because they're damaged. Like the kitchen floor for example, the deck stairs, and the fence. But the rest just needs new paint (neutral).

I think that's the way we should go with this too. :)

[Wondergirl]

Sounds good WG. I myself don't want to spend money that won't pay off in the long run. There are some things that need to be replaced simply because they're damaged. Like the kitchen floor for example, the deck stairs, and the fence. But the rest just needs new paint (neutral).

I think that's the way we should go with this too. :)

Buyers hate to rip out new stuff. They usually live in their new house for a few months (or longer) before they start changing things. What you like or think is up to date very possibly is not what they will like. As a buyer, I'd rather redo "old" decor than feel awful about ripping out new stuff.

[DoulaLC]

I'd focus on any obvious repairs, perhaps minor cosmetic changes if you feel that they are necessary/might help (could be as simple as changing cupboard hardware, for example), and super cleaning.

Move in ready can be nice, but as you've said, tastes can vary and it could work against you. A fresh coat of paint throughout is relatively inexpensive, and goes a long way in brightening up a home and presenting a clean, fresh look. Nice landscaping is the same; can be done fairly inexpensively and makes a good first impression.

If the price is right, I'd go for a home in a decent neighborhood, one that has good storage, enough room for my family, that is clean, and has no major repairs needed to both the interior and the exterior. I wouldn't mind taking my time adding my own cosmetic touches.

[Alty]

Thanks Doula. I agree.

I think I'll keep the cupboards, we already have new hardware on them, maybe just give them a fresh coat of paint, in white. We'll definitely put down new flooring since our was ruined when the dishwasher flooded a few years ago, so it's the old lino, and it's in need of repair. As for the rest, a good cleaning, and new paint, and we're good. We'll probably put new carpet on the stairs (the only area of the house that still has carpet in it) because it's 18 years old, wasn't the best carpet to begin with, and is very worn. No more sprucing it up, it needs to be replaced. Replace a few fence boards, paint the fence, add new stairs to the deck and paint the deck, and I think we're good to go. :)

Thanks all. I was convincing myself that I had to spend the money to update everything, but I kept thinking "my taste isn't everyone's taste, so why spend the money if most people would be happy to be able to put their own taste in a home". It's a solid home, great layout, great space, great neighborhood. That's why we moved here and lived here all this time. We just need more space with 2 growing kids, and all our pets. We'd also like some land, and a space away from neighbors. We're ready to move on. But this is a great starter home for a young family, and a great neighborhood. I know it will sell as is, but will sell even better with a few repairs. :)