Why Focus Is On Remodeling Kitchens & Master Baths

Real estate experts agree that a renovated kitchen is the #1 area and the master bath is the #2 most important areas of a home that bring the greatest value.

What sells luxury homes in this market? Renovated kitchens and baths. To attract the affluent buyer today, your home should reflect the latest in kitchen and bath design. Cost efficient renovations help sell homes faster and for a higher price.
Christy Harris, Associate Broker, GA & NC (over 250 homes sold, over $120 million sold), BSIM Georgia Tech, MBA University of Chicago

The Kitchen (#1 area that sells a home)

Not only the area that brings the greatest value, the kitchen is where families spend most of their time, it’s the heart of the home.

What design features lower or raise the value of a kitchen?

The least expensive home in the market is usually a mobile home or trailer.  To raise your home’s value you should have design features that are superior and different from those found in trailers.

Design elements associated with mobile homes:

  1. The microwave placed over the stove or cook-top.  This is one of the major design mistakes to avoid.
  2. The microwave and other ovens sitting on the counter tops or on a shelf – they should be built-in flush with the wall, base or tall cabinets
  3. Recirculation vents over stoves – always vent the hood over the cook-top or range to the outside of the home not back into the kitchen, not into the attic, walls, ceiling or floor
  4. Cabinets recessed over the refrigerator (difficult to reach) should be pulled out to the front
  5. Dishwasher not covered (with door-front or drawer-front) and freestanding in row of base cabinets.   It should be built-in, covered and flush with other cabinets, like furniture
  6. Putting electrical outlets in the back splash, they should be hidden
  7. 4″ high back splashes and side splashes, they are usually used to hide bad workmanship
  8. Man made materials for counter-tops – they usually will date a home to a year when the material was faddish
  9. Lack of pull-out storage

The Master Bath (#2 area that sells a home)

What design features lower or raise the value of baths?

Design elements associated with lower priced homes:

  1. Putting electrical outlets in the back splash, they should be hidden
  2. 4″ high back splashes and side splashes, they are usually used to hide bad workmanship
  3. Man made materials for counter-tops – they usually will date a home to a year when the material was fadish
  4. Lack of pull-out storage
  5. Absence of built-in clothes hampers
  6. Wire shelving & hanging in closets rather than built-in tall cabinets for clothes
  7. Proper out-side fan ventalization for toilets and showers
  8. Heated tile or stone floors
  9. Small vanity or vanities for two people and need for more organized storage
The Master Bath