(Home improvement feature)Excerpt: Well-designed kitchens and bathrooms are invaluable assets to sellers as most buyers will consider these rooms to be either the deal breaker or a deal maker when it comes to choosing a real estate investment. Well-designed kitchens and bathrooms are invaluable assets to sellers as most buyers will consider these rooms to be either the deal breaker or a deal maker when it comes to choosing a real estate investment. Sellers who are renovating these spaces are advised to consider current trends to ensure maximum buyer appeal.?While fashions come and go, the latest trends can steer homeowners in the right direction when it comes to identifying what needs to be replaced or updated,? suggests Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa. RE/MAX of Southern Africa points out that while exposed storage and open shelving might have been a popular option not too long ago, the modern kitchen is all about discreet storage solutions. The trend even goes as far as to conceal the entire kitchen space behind wall-to-floor cabinets and secret counter tops. ?With living spaces getting smaller, the idea is to create multi-functional spaces that makes optimal use of limited floor space,? says Goslett. "Which is why items such as kettles, fridges, and even taps and sinks that once limited a kitchen to the single purpose of preparing food can now disappear behind cabinets or slide under surfaces to make the most of all space available."Goslett also mentions that many young buyers will also be curious about the eco-credentials of kitchen manufacturers and materials. ?Younger buyers tend to put more emphasis on sustainable living and prefer to make environmentally responsible choices. Homeowners who choose to prioritise this when going about their renovations will earn themselves favour among buyers within this demographic,? he suggests.A final trend that sellers may want to consider is multi-colour kitchen cabinets. It is becoming increasingly popular to install cabinets in two different colours, often with a darker colour on the lower cabinets and a lighter shade on the cabinets above. ?To keep a broad appeal, sellers who incorporate this trend should stick to neutral shades, such as dark wood or black paired with light wood or white,? Goslett recommends.As a final comment on the topic, Goslett predicts that kitchens will become increasingly important to buyers over this time. ?Until the threat of Covid-19 no longer exists, homeowners are likely to spend more time preparing their own meals at home rather than dining out or even ordering in. "The kitchen will, therefore, become increasingly important to buyers purchasing over this time. Sellers can capitalise on this by investing in kitchen updates before putting their home on the market,? Goslett concludes.
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Well-designed kitchens and bathrooms are invaluable assets to sellers as most buyers will consider these rooms to be either the deal breaker or a deal maker when it comes to choosing a real estate investment.
Sellers who are renovating these spaces are advised to consider current trends to ensure maximum buyer appeal.
While fashions come and go, the latest trends can steer homeowners in the right direction when it comes to identifying what needs to be replaced or updated, suggests Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.
RE/MAX of Southern Africa points out that while exposed storage and open shelving might have been a popular option not too long ago, the modern kitchen is all about discreet storage solutions.
The trend even goes as far as to conceal the entire kitchen space behind wall-to-floor cabinets and secret counter tops.
“With living spaces getting smaller, the idea is to create multi-functional spaces that makes optimal use of limited floor space,” says Goslett.
“Which is why items such as kettles, fridges, and even taps and sinks that once limited a kitchen to the single purpose of preparing food can now disappear behind cabinets or slide under surfaces to make the most of all space available.”
Goslett also mentions that many young buyers will also be curious about the eco-credentials of kitchen manufacturers and materials.
Younger buyers tend to put more emphasis on sustainable living and prefer to make environmentally responsible choices.
“Homeowners who choose to prioritise this when going about their renovations will earn themselves favour among buyers within this demographic,” he suggests.
A final trend that sellers may want to consider is multi-colour kitchen cabinets.
It is becoming increasingly popular to install cabinets in two different colours, often with a darker colour on the lower cabinets and a lighter shade on the cabinets above.
“To keep a broad appeal, sellers who incorporate this trend should stick to neutral shades, such as dark wood or black paired with light wood or white,” Goslett recommends.
As a final comment on the topic, Goslett predicts that kitchens will become increasingly important to buyers over this time.
Until the threat of Covid-19 no longer exists, homeowners are likely to spend more time preparing their own meals at home rather than dining out or even ordering in.
“The kitchen will, therefore, become increasingly important to buyers purchasing over this time. Sellers can capitalise on this by investing in kitchen updates before putting their home on the market,” Goslett concludes.