How to make your kitchen Buyer-Friendly

When most people are looking to buy a house, one of the most important rooms will be the kitchen. It’s a room that people will use every day to cook and socialize in, so it needs to look good. An outdated kitchen can put people off an entire house, so if you’re thinking about selling up in the near future, make sure your kitchen looks its best with our useful tips.

One of the main reasons prospective buyers give for a kitchen looking dated is old-fashioned cabinets and cupboards. It can be expensive to shell out for a whole new fitted kitchen, though, so instead of doing this, think about ways you can revamp your existing cupboards. One way to do this can be to repaint them, or if they’re already painted, to sand them down to reveal the natural wood underneath for a shabby chic look. Replacing tired handles with new, long-lasting iron handles can also be a good way to make a kitchen cupboard set look more impressive.

The flooring can also make a big difference. If you have tiles, make sure the grouting is immaculate. A cheap way to clean grouting is with a bicarbonate of soda solution on a toothbrush to lift out the dirt and leave it looking spotless and good as new. If your flooring is wooden, give it a new coat of varnish which can subtly change the colour and keep it looking fresh.

New blinds can completely change the ambiance of a room. Curtains aren’t ideal for kitchens, and tend to make them look old-fashioned. Instead, a pull-down blind in a vibrant statement colour or some classic Venetian blinds can give your kitchen the update it needs. You want to let the sunlight stream in during the day but not be too blinding, so consider having your blinds pulled down part of the way when prospective buyers visit so they can see the blinds without having to squint.

If your kitchen is prone to clutter, invest in some pretty storage boxes. All those unused gadgets you promised yourself you’d use should be stashed away in case you feel the need to make your own bread or ice cream again in the future, but they shouldn’t be on display when buyers are looking round.

A myth that lots of people fall for is that the smell of freshly baked bread will make buyers fall in love with a house. Well, don’t take your breadmaker out of storage just yet, because buyers don’t really fall for that trick. Instead, keep your kitchen smelling fresh with some lightly scented herbs. Don’t cook anything with a strong smell on the morning of the viewing, as the overpowering air freshener will be a total giveaway! As long as you keep it looking tidy, up to date and inviting, your buyers should be able to look past any minor wear and tear from every day life.