Once you have decided to sell your St. Cloud house, unless it’s already in top-notch shape, you face some meaningful decisions about things that might need to be refreshed, upgraded, or replaced altogether. Some major items are hard to ignore: a roof that’s barely weatherproof, or over-the-hill front door hardware, for instance. But other facets can be a coin-toss: will they be worth the expense?

One area where updating is most likely to pay off is in the kitchen. Kitchens are tied with living rooms as the places where Americans spend the most time (28% put each in first place, according to a recent survey). Even so, the kitchen leads as the room most respondents say is “most valued.” That fits with practical home-selling experience—everyone who shows homes to prospective buyers knows that kitchens often draw the most attention. It’s also the spot where visitors tend to stop to chat.

That’s good to know when you’re setting out to sell your own house; it may tip the scales when you are budgeting where your time and dollars should be directed. Fortunately, there are budget-wise ways to turn an elderly kitchen into more of a young‘un:

·         Appliances. When perfectly operational appliances look like they’re over the hill, one approach is to re-face them (especially with stainless steel surfaces that can’t be revived). When that’s not possible, an integrated overlay can sometimes work— but if all else fails, the cost of replacing an old range or dishwasher may be worth the freight.

·         Cabinets. Putting a fresh face on ancient cabinetry can sometimes be achieved by re-staining or repainting. Decorators know, too, that simply replacing cabinetry hardware with up-to-date designs (brushed nickel and stainless are popular) can work wonders.

·         Sink. Especially today, with more and more buyers favoring the larger single bowl designs, a dated kitchen prep area can be inexpensively rejuvenated by switching out older, unsightly versions and adding spiffy new hardware.

If you’re at the beginning stages of planning to sell your own St. Cloud house, starting out from a smart, penny-wise prepping strategy makes for later success. I can help with ideas that are working in today’s market—don’t hesitate to call!

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