Replacing a knackered kitchen before selling...

discountmummy

I know this has been asked many, many times but my kitchen really is on its last legs shall we say. Not even painting it will help as some of the doors have blown with moisture. The flooring is also worn and has holes.
Should I consider getting something basic put in in this instance or just sell as is? 

EssexHebridean

Generally the advice is to not waste your money - just price the property correctly for the condition it is in. The chances are that whatever you put in - and particularly if it is something basic, the buyer will want to rip out again anyway making it a waste of both money and resources. 

eddddy

Invite some local Estate Agents in for market appraisals (valuations), and ask them

They show a large variety of properties to lots of different people, so they should know what local buyers are looking for.


But some general thoughts...

• If your target market is FTBs (maybe typically 2 wage earners in demanding jobs), they might want a place that's ready to live in with no work - i.e. with a nice new kitchen

• If your target market is second or third steppers - they might like 'a project', and enjoy choosing and designing their 'dream kitchen'

  

ManuelG

Yep, I had a similar issue with bathroom... and I suspected any new buyer would want to do kitchen too. Advice from agents was not to bother and just price accordingly.

(Being nosy and passing by once or twice when on my way to the shops, I've found that yes indeed, they do seem to have replaced / be replacing just about everything!)

FlyMeSomewhere79

When you talk about doors being blown with moisture, it's worth having a think whether any of that on show would set off alarm bells for damp or potential leak problems in the mind of a potential buyer.

EssexHebridean

FlyMeSomewhere79 said:

When you talk about doors being blown with moisture, it's worth having a think whether any of that on show would set off alarm bells for damp or potential leak problems in the mind of a potential buyer.

This is an extremely good point - having lived in a property which suffered with damp issues before, I know this would probably flag up as a possible problem with me. 

HouseMartin567

eddddy said:

Invite some local Estate Agents in for market appraisals (valuations), and ask them

They show a large variety of properties to lots of different people, so they should know what local buyers are looking for.


But some general thoughts...

• If your target market is FTBs (maybe typically 2 wage earners in demanding jobs), they might want a place that's ready to live in with no work - i.e. with a nice new kitchen

• If your target market is second or third steppers - they might like 'a project', and enjoy choosing and designing their 'dream kitchen'

  

I think I’m the opposite to your bullets lol. We bought a ‘stuck in the 70s’ project as FTBs, but the effort, mess and cost of the refurb has put me off for life and now we are looking to move up the ladder I want something that is ready to move in to and requires minimal work.

However, for the OP, I do agree with a lot of the other posters that it wouldn’t be wise to spend money on a new kitchen. Although you could see if there are any cheap and quick fixes to spruce it up, i.e. a lick of paint, new cupboard doors etc.

discountmummy

Thanks for all your points, its a very tricky one. I almost put in a new kitchen 18 months ago but lost confidence in the fitter. Having already had a bad experience with a bathroom fitter it made me reconsider. 
I would consider a 2nd hand one but finding one, transporting it, and getting it to fit could be more trouble than its worth.
I think I will pop by my local estate agents and have a chat with them. We are waiting for a new build development and the plot we want to buy might not be ready until the end of new year. 

caprikid1

HouseMartin567 said:

eddddy said:

Invite some local Estate Agents in for market appraisals (valuations), and ask them

They show a large variety of properties to lots of different people, so they should know what local buyers are looking for.


But some general thoughts...

• If your target market is FTBs (maybe typically 2 wage earners in demanding jobs), they might want a place that's ready to live in with no work - i.e. with a nice new kitchen

• If your target market is second or third steppers - they might like 'a project', and enjoy choosing and designing their 'dream kitchen'

  

I think I’m the opposite to your bullets lol. We bought a ‘stuck in the 70s’ project as FTBs, but the effort, mess and cost of the refurb has put me off for life and now we are looking to move up the ladder I want something that is ready to move in to and requires minimal work.

However, for the OP, I do agree with a lot of the other posters that it wouldn’t be wise to spend money on a new kitchen. Although you could see if there are any cheap and quick fixes to spruce it up, i.e. a lick of paint, new cupboard doors etc.

Then you look at the new completed refurbs and are not happy with the finish , quality , layout and end up doing it all again to get what you want !.

RHemmings

It costs an awful lot of money to put in a kitchen with quality components. If you put in a kitchen with all the bargain-basement cheapest stuff, then if I was looking at it I'd be thinking that this kitchen will need to be upgraded after purchase. Though, a kitchen with holes in the floor ... it's tricky. Both would put me off. A quality new kitchen would be a big plus for me, but as is often said around here, it might make the house easier to sell but you probably wouldn't get your investment back. 

However, a cheap kitchen (e.g. 'landlord special' fittings), would still be usable. I wouldn't be thinking that I have to do something before the house is liveable. 

Grumpy_chap

discountmummy said:

I know this has been asked many, many times but my kitchen really is on its last legs shall we say. Not even painting it will help as some of the doors have blown with moisture. The flooring is also worn and has holes.
Should I consider getting something basic put in in this instance or just sell as is? 

IMO, it is not worth doing the kitchen.
Price the house correctly reflecting that the kitchen requires updating and the new owner can take on the project to have the kitchen they want, rather than the kitchen you will decide they want.

What might be worth doing is establishing why some of the doors have suffered moisture damage.  Is that a damp issue, which might raise red flags, or something more straightforward (like a now resolved plumbing problem)?  It might be worth renewing the cupboard doors if suitable items are available.