Manhattan Property News Blog

8 Kitchen Improvements You MUST Do Before Selling Your Home

Written by Anthony Guerriero | 10/25/21 1:43 PM

Kitchens are one of the top things that buyers want to see on a home tour. They know that they’ll spend hours cooking and enjoying meals there with their loved ones, and kitchens are often one of the main focal points of the home. Knowing what makes these kitchen improvements so lucrative before selling helps you decide which parts of your house to fix up before putting it on the market.


Give the Cabinets a Face Lift

Cabinets are one of the largest surface areas in a kitchen, and they tend to get outdated as time goes by. Repainting or refinishing cabinets is more budget-friendly than doing a complete replacement. Choose neutral-colored paint in a light color to help make your kitchen look bigger and appeal to more buyers.


Install Quartz Countertops

Granite was the material of choice for several years. However, buyers are now looking for a more user-friendly type of material. Quartz is more stain-resistant compared to granite, and people tend to prefer it over laminate.


Choose Quiet Appliances

Replacing appliances can increase the value of your kitchen. Today’s appliances are less noisy than the ones that were installed even a few years ago. A silent dishwasher could be that feature that makes your house stand out from the rest to buyers.


Put In a New Backsplash

Backsplashes tend to be a fairly minor upgrade to make, and they make a big impression on buyers. Adding tile in a neutral color that complements the countertops makes the appliances look newer, and it helps buyers to envision themselves enjoying spending time at the stove.


Lighten Up the Walls

A dark kitchen looks small and cramped. This problem is easy to fix with just a coat or two of paint. You don’t have to go with plain white for the kitchen walls, but lighter shades of paint are better. Consider doing a light gray or gray-blue coat to give the kitchen a modern look without being overly dark.


Consider Adding a Luxury Touch

In addition to quiet appliances, buyers love finding an unexpected feature that makes their life better. Wine fridges and pot fillers are two hot kitchen features that buyers get excited about. Both of these are fairly low-cost improvements that can increase the value of your home.


Improve the Lighting

Many homes still have the same light fixtures that were installed by the builder. Installing hanging lights over the island or dining room table area makes a big difference in how the kitchen looks when it is all lit up. Under-cabinet lights are another type that buyers love to see.


Give It a Good Scrub Down

One of the most cost-effective improvements you can do is to give every surface in the kitchen a good scrub. No one wants to touch sticky cabinet knobs or to open up an oven filled with gunk. Whether you do it yourself or hire a cleaning service is up to you, but making sure your kitchen is sparkling helps to highlight all of the other updates you’ve made.



Your kitchen is likely one of the most used rooms in your home, and the majority of kitchens could use some sprucing up to make them attractive to buyers. Kitchen upgrades tend to be fairly affordable, and even the smallest changes go a long way towards improving your home’s value.