It’s often said that kitchens and baths sell houses.  That saying didn’t become common because it wasn’t true.  Your Glen Ridge NJ realtor will want to talk to about updating your kitchen if you are selling.  The market is competitive and strategic updates may make a quick sale.

Most sellers think they either have to spend a fortune gutting their kitchen or just leave it to the next owner.  Neither option is really wise these days!  You’ll be glad to hear that there are options for updating that won’t bust your budget or leave your buyers wishing for more.

Paint
It sounds simple but a fresh coat of stain blocking primer followed by a new layer of paint will work wonders in a kitchen.  Degrease any stains and splatters before painting so they won’t show through.

Backsplash
If your backsplash still features barnyard animals, it’s time to update it.  There are many cost-effective options like glass and ceramic tiles or stainless steel.  Stay true to the feel of the kitchen to avoid a style clash.

Sink
A new sink will make the whole kitchen feel cleaner.  Rust stained, chipped or dented sinks bring down the look of the kitchen.  Make a great impression with a new sink.

Hardware
One of the least expensive ways to update a kitchen is with new hardware.  A $50 to $100 worth of stylish drawer pulls and cabinet knobs will give a far greater return on the investment.

Island
If your kitchen has room, consider adding an island.  You don’t have to call a custom cabinet maker.  There are plenty of ready-made pieces of furniture at home improvement and décor stores.  You can make it part of the sale or take it with you.  Just have your Montclair NJ realtor make it clear to the buyer if the island is not included.

Counter Cladding
Few sellers will be surprised to hear that buyers want to see natural stone counters.  Replacing your counters may not be in the budget but cladding them could be.  An installer makes what amounts to a shell that goes over your counters.  You get the look of custom-cut stone at a fraction of the price.

Cabinet Refacing
You can also reface the cabinets at a reasonable rate.  Solid doors can be sanded down and stained while lower quality doors can be painted.  Done well, either option will make the kitchen look new again.

Floors
Pay attention to the floors.  You might need to bleach your tile’s grout or lay new peel-and-stick laminate squares over a damaged “no wax” floor.  Fill in deep gouges in wood floors with wood filler.

These updates won’t cause your budget too much stress but they might make you home the fastest seller on the block.

When you are ready to list your home, one of the first things your Montclair NJ realtor will talk to you about is updating.  Even if your home is fairly new, there is a lot of competition in the market.  Your home needs to stand out for all the right reasons.  A few updates in key areas can make your home the first to sell.

Kitchens and baths are the rooms where buyers have the biggest expectations.  Regardless of price, buyers want to be impressed, especially by the master bath.  Your Glen Ridge NJ realtor can tell you more about what buyers looking at your neighborhood expect to see in your home’s price range.

One of the first places you can give the look of a major update is in the bathroom.  You don’t need a serious renovation to give the impression of an upgraded bathroom.  There are some relatively painless ways to make a bath feel new.

Medicine Cabinets
Replacing an old medicine cabinet will give a bath a fresh feeling.  Hang a large mirror instead, but with an eye for a future buyer.  Be sure your new mirror is large enough to accommodate a wide range of heights and be attractive to many different tastes.

Faucets
New faucets are a great way to update a bath on a budget.  Choose a style that blends well with the style and age of the home.  In other words, don’t go ultra-modern if you have a Victorian.  Follow the directions for installing the new faucets carefully to avoid messy leaks under the sink.

Ceramics
The ceramic fixtures, meaning sinks and toilets, can become stained by age, rust and scale build-up.  If your ceramics are looking tired or outright nasty, replace them.  This isn’t the time to get creative, though.  Buyers will likely prefer a simple white sink over a basin painted with fancy fish.

Counters
It may be cheaper than you think to replace a bathroom counter.  Most baths don’t have huge stretches of counters so you won’t need as much in materials as you would in a kitchen.

Refitting
Tubs and showers can be refitted at comparatively low cost.  A new fiberglass layer is applied over your old tub or shower.  You have a pristine new surface in a day or two.

Talk to your realtor about what updates your bathroom needs.  A few updates might just make your sale happen faster.