Fit new kitchen before selling?

la_farfallina

There are some very interesting and helpful views in all of your replies.

My brother is a builder (no job too small) and I asked him if he would fit a new kitchen for me so that it might sell quicker. He didn't actually refuse as such, but he said he didn't want to spend all that time and effort for the next owner to then come and rip it all out.
He said he would happily fit a kitchen for me if I planned to stay living in the flat.

Am loving those stainless steel worktop saver thingys - they look like just the thing to rescue my worktops. Thanks GDB.

neverdespairgirl

cjdavies wrote: »

Is the living room in the same room as the kitchen? That has put me straight off.

Yes, it's that thing central London EAs try to sell as "trendy" and "integrated living space".

Regardless of that, the last thing I want early in the morning when I put the kettle on is shiny red cupboards glaring at me.

GDB2222

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Yes, it's that thing central London EAs try to sell as "trendy" and "integrated living space"..

I assume that it's a better use of the space than a separate kitchen? Or rather, you can cram everything into a smaller space? Personally, I'd rather live in the suburbs and get a lot more house for my money, but each to his own.

silvercar

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

Yes, it's that thing central London EAs try to sell as "trendy" and "integrated living space".

Regardless of that, the last thing I want early in the morning when I put the kettle on is shiny red cupboards glaring at me.

Being the top half of the kitchen doesn't match the bottom, you could easily change the top cupboard doors for something more calming.

neverdespairgirl

silvercar wrote: »

Being the top half of the kitchen doesn't match the bottom, you could easily change the top cupboard doors for something more calming.

True, but I don't want to pay for someone else's shiny red kitchen and then have to pay to replace it.

neverdespairgirl

GDB2222 wrote: »

I assume that it's a better use of the space than a separate kitchen? Or rather, you can cram everything into a smaller space? Personally, I'd rather live in the suburbs and get a lot more house for my money, but each to his own.

Sometimes it means you do genuinely get a whacking great combined kitchen / living room, which could be two quite decent sized separate rooms. Such as:

http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-for-sale/details/id/STCKA1183763/

http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-for-sale/details/id/FGFY999000325/

More often, it just means that there's a decent sized kitchen, but they've called it "open-plan living space" so that they can hide the fact there's no living room, and the actual room's far too small to be both.

Such as this, which claims tobe a 3 bed flat, but is about 650 sq feet all in:


http://www.primelocation.com/uk-property-for-sale/details/id/BANW6363102/

TOBRUK

The kitchen was the only room I hadn't done any work on since buying the house, and if I were to stay it was going to be my next project. I had painted the doors (in a cream using wood satin paint)and stuck on trims which made it look like panels on the doors, and screwed knobs on the doors about a year and a half ago.

The price I was selling the house reflected this and the buyer is quite happy with the explanation.

I have done work on every other room and a conservatory was built in my time here which is a roomy 12'x12' approx.

If you are selling make sure that the price reflects any work that needs doing at the property and you shouldn't have any problems.

Jenniefour

Why not ask the estate agent? I would certainly put a new kitchen in a flat (which are the properties that have been harder to sell over the last couple of years) if it meant the difference between selling or not selling at all - regardless of the fact that a new buyer might rip it all out immediately, and regardless of the fact that the costs would not be recouped. Many years ago I bought a flat in a hot market - good location, big rooms, high ceiling, desirable property, London where we're used to this living in flats - that had been on the market for six months simply because the sellers disregarded the agents advice to fit a new kitchen - plenty of viewers in first couple of weeks and consistent feedback was the exceedingly tatty kitchen, rest of flat had been decorated and done up. And because it had been on the market and not sold then viewings dried up and I got it for an amount less than the asking that would have paid for the new kitchen I had put in three times over. Very short sighted of the vendors.

By the way, I'm not saying definitely put in a new kitchen - all I'm saying is get a local agent to give you an honest opinion on whether it needs doing to attract more viewings with a higher possibility of actually selling it.

TOBRUK

I did ask my estate agent whether I should do something about the kitchen but she told me not to bother that it was fine as it was. It may be that you will get different advice in your area or situation. It is definitely worth asking.

Jenniefour

Yes, there are many situations where putting in a new kitchen will not affect desirability/saleability and is a complete waste of money but I would have thought many first time buyers these days - rare breed that they have become because of the tight lending conditions - might not have the money to then replace the kitchen and for that reason may not make an offer for a flat that needs one, especially if they have plenty of choice of other flats with relatively decent kitchens. There are kitchens that ideally need replacing that will be fine for a sale - and ones that are not. OP needs to find out which hers is most likely to be.