WWYD-Upgrade appliances before selling home? UPDATE pg 2

[minnie1928]

Here's the background...we will be relocating in the next 6 months for work, so the house will be going up for sale. We purchased our house 7 years ago (new) and the developer is still building new homes in the neighborhood. The homes are higher end (for this area anyway). Our kitchen appliances are bisque colored and are in very good shape (I'm not much of a cook ). We are considering putting about $4000 into new Stainless appliances simply because the competition (new builder and other resellers) most likely have SS appliances. Do you think that's a good idea? I'm hoping that by upgrading we will sell faster and hopefully recoup most/all of the appliances cost.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[janette]

I think something like a $4000 decorating / upgrade allowance would be a better selling feature. You probably wouldn't be able to ask that much more and what someone wants in appliances can be so varied. I'd use the money as more of an buyers incentive, ultimately it does go into the price you sell the house for but buyers then would know they don't have to go into their cash to upgrade if they want.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I'd do it. I think that we're going to have to upgrade to stainless before we sell also. I think that if you're competing with new construction in a slow market, it can't hurt to replace the appliances with what people would get in the new construction. Do you already have the nice cabinets and granite, though? I think that stainless would look a little over-the-top with laminate countertops and oak cabinets, KWIM? We have the nice maple cabinets and the granite, but I'm just too cheap to pony up for the appliances right now when the white ones that we have work just fine. I know that we'll do it before the house goes on the market in the future, though (barring the unlikely event of another hot real estate market where this wouldn't matter)

 

[minnie1928]

I'd do it. I think that we're going to have to upgrade to stainless before we sell also. I think that if you're competing with new construction in a slow market, it can't hurt to replace the appliances with what people would get in the new construction. Do you already have the nice cabinets and granite, though? I think that stainless would look a little over-the-top with laminate countertops and oak cabinets, KWIM? We have the nice maple cabinets and the granite, but I'm just too cheap to pony up for the appliances right now when the white ones that we have work just fine. I know that we'll do it before the house goes on the market in the future, though (barring the unlikely event of another hot real estate market where this wouldn't matter)

We have really nice cabinets and corian, so I don't think it would look out of place....however, my cabinet pulls are burnished brass so I would probably swap them out too.

 

[pacew]

I am a Realtor and can tell you most people do not have vision when they are looking for a new home. If your competition has stainless, then you probably should do it. Offering a decorating allowance does not help in most cases.

Wendy

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

We have really nice cabinets and corian, so I don't think it would look out of place....however, my cabinet pulls are burnished brass so I would probably swap them out too.

Ooooh, definitely! For under $100, you can get some modern-looking brushed nickel cabinet pulls from Lowe's or Home Depot. It's an easy, inexpensive fix.

I'm honestly not sure if I would spring for $4000 worth of stainless appliances if I had Corian countertops, though. Does the competition have granite for the most part? If so, can you find a local granite yard that sells remnants and possibly do your kitchen that way? I did a bathroom that way and it was VERY economical. I got the idea from a show on HGTV, and sure enough I found a place locally that sold remnants for a very good price.

 

[minnie1928]

Ooooh, definitely! For under $100, you can get some modern-looking brushed nickel cabinet pulls from Lowe's or Home Depot. It's an easy, inexpensive fix.

I'm honestly not sure if I would spring for $4000 worth of stainless appliances if I had Corian countertops, though. Does the competition have granite for the most part? If so, can you find a local granite yard that sells remnants and possibly do your kitchen that way? I did a bathroom that way and it was VERY economical. I got the idea from a show on HGTV, and sure enough I found a place locally that sold remnants for a very good price.

If I swapped out my corian.... ! I have a lot of counter space, so I don't think I want to approach that! The builder is using corian/granite as upgrades and laminate as standard. Every home in the neighborhood that I've seen has either the corian or granite, so I should be fine.

 

[bdcp]

SS was just becoming big when we built our new upper end home in 2003. I specificially did not choose SS since it shows fingerprints so badly and I don't have small kids to make it a big issue. Everyone I know that has ss doesn't really like it for that reason. It's a trend. I know I wouldn't buy a home just because it has SS appliances. Of course I see past whatever the current owner has and can see my own furniture/decor in it. My dad is a realtor and he'll tell you it's as much as about pricing the home correctly as it is anything else. Not everyone wants SS.

As for Corian, our neighborhood has probably 75% granite, 25% Corian. The standard/basic counter was laminate, but everyone upgraded since these are upper end homes. Corian is fine.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I have a brand new house (DH and I built) in a high end neighborhood and we specifically did not choose stainless steel, due to the fingerprint issue.

I certainly wouldn't not buy a house just because it didn't have ss.

 

[Green Tea]

I wouldn't spend the money. That seems to be a personal choice issue. Something that would attract me, however, would be a home warranty. That would make am existing home seem as 'safe' as a new one. They are relatively inexpensive, I think.

I would change out the brass hardware though.

 

[Kay1]

I have a brand new house (DH and I built) in a high end neighborhood and we specifically did not choose stainless steel, due to the fingerprint issue.

I certainly wouldn't not buy a house just because it didn't have ss.

I feel the same way. If I were to buy a house with SS appliances, I would ask the owner to take them with them. I would chose the bisque. I really don't care for granite either.

You never know what a buyer will like. The owner of our house gave away a wooden jungle gym before putting this house on the market because he was told it would dwarf the yard. I would have loved to have and it would have helped him in the bargaining stage. Instead he tried to bargain with a custom-made aquarium that we didn't want and asked him to remove. He ended up donating it to a museum.

 

[TxDsnyGrl74]

I agree with others; I would not put in the SS appliances. I personally don't like them either. I have the bisque appliances which came with the home and I like them.

I would save the $4K and use a portion of that to put in some new landscaping, touch up paint, etc. when you get ready to put the house on the market to give it a freshened up feeling and add curb appeal.

 

[lilyv]

I would ask these questions to the realtor you will be listing with. They will know what is/isn't important in your market area at your price point.

Stainless steel has greatly improved, by the way. If you go that route, choose appliances that don't readily show fingerprints. You can find them easily, and they won't break the bank. (Do the touch test on the showroom floor. You'll see dramatic differences from one manufacturer to another.)

 

[jel0511]

When we were looking to move this summer, EVERY house we looked at at the SS appliances. I LOVED the look, that when we decided not to move, I re-did my kitchen with granite and SS appliances. Now, I LOVE my granite, the SS appliances, look great when not fingerprinted (my kids are 9 and 6). My DH is the worst offender with the fingerprints though, so I don't blame them. I tell everyone who comes over and like my kitchen, that you become a slave to the SS appliances and to STAY AWAY! I also put up new waiscoatting up in my kitchen, and the crown molding that tops it put a couple of dents in my new fridge, so I'm not too happy with the SS durability. When we re-did the kitchen (8 yrs old), the guy from the granite place told me that TONS of people redo their kitchens before selling, because it does help with selling. I'm one who can't see past the old and envsion the new, but I agree that SS is a fad and will probably end sooner rather than later. Who remembers Avacado Green and Mustard Yellow appliances? I do, because my mom had them, you can't find them sold anywhere anymore. If you really want to do something to upgrade your look, go with Black appliances, they give the same "look" of SS, opening up the kitchen and are less expensive than the SS and are MUCH easier to keep clean!

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

I have SS and love it. I disagree with it being a fad. It's been around in higher end homes since to 60's. A friend of mine still has the SS stove in her house from when it was built in 68. Mind you that it's a professional range but still SS is SS.

 

[pyrxtc]

I wouldn't upgrade. As nice as I think stainless steel looks at times, I would lok for something that goes more with the house. If the rest of the house has a country feel or a homey feel then SS would not look right. you want the house to be all the same, not look like a high end kitchen and it makes the rest of the house look old.

As far as not seeing past what's there, I watch the shows and see people doing it all that time. They ahve no vision. If I was like that, we never would ahve been able to buya house we could afford. I don't get it!

 

[minnie1928]

Well, I went to Lowe's after work today and looked to see what they had. I'm still undecided but I figured it couldn't hurt to take a look. I saw quite a few that were a mix of black and SS. That caught my eye from the perspective of it's not 100% SS and that it might be a little more flexible style wise.

I called a local church to see if they would be interested in any of my old appliances and they said they could use the fridge, so if I do replace my stuff I intend on donating the rest. I asked the salesperson at Lowes to see what they do with appliances they pick up and he said they just throw them away. I just can't justify perfectly good appliances sitting in a landfill.

I checked out some cabinet knobs while I was there...looks like that'll run me about $200. But, I agree...it's something that has to be done. The burnished brass does nothing for the kitchen.

I'm gonna try and talk to a local realtor, although I haven't quite figured out who.

Since this is the budget board I must add that I ordered a 10% off moving coupon from Lowe's website. So, if I do decided to do all this atleast I won't pay as much .

 

[jel0511]

I checked out some cabinet knobs while I was there...looks like that'll run me about $200. But, I agree...it's something that has to be done. The burnished brass does nothing for the kitchen.

When we redid out kitchen, I was able to switch out my gold knobs by buying knobs at Target. I got 10 knobs for $10, I needed 41 for my kitchen, so I spent $50, they look real nice! It might be worth investigating.

 

[marn913]

Have you looked on craigslist or in the classified ads near you to see if anyone is selling used/newer SS appliances? This could save you a lot - and you could also get some $$ back by selling your bisque appliances. I wouldn't put $4000 into new appliances because you will never get that back. Also, if you have a built-in dishwasher is it the type with the panel in the front? If so, you could save money by purchasing a new panel (or even flipping it over if it is black on the back.) Many SS appliances have black accents and it would not look too out of place. You will not see 100% return on the appliances - as others said, you may want to skip the appliances if you can't get them at a great cost and do $4000 in other small upgrades throughout the rest of the house instead.

 

[minnie1928]

When we redid out kitchen, I was able to switch out my gold knobs by buying knobs at Target. I got 10 knobs for $10, I needed 41 for my kitchen, so I spent $50, they look real nice! It might be worth investigating.

I swapped out my bathrooms over the weekend with Target knobs. They were 6 in a $10 pack. I bought out all they had! They were nicer and cheaper than the ones I bought and later returned to Home Depot. My Target doesn't have a huge selection, but I haven't ruled out using them in the kitchen.