Thinking of selling: what are most popular counters/flooring, cost

[Anonymous]

We're thinking about selling our house within the next yr and will need to update our kitchen counters and floor. The kitchen floor is roughly 12X12 and the counter is about 28 sq ft. About how much would this cost and how long will it take? I've seen a lot of gray in kitchens and flooring tile that is more rectangular shaped... is that the best way to go? What would appeal to the most potential buyers? TIA

[Anonymous]

I would walk right out of a gray kitchen.

Gray is a trendy color and won't be around long.

Go with something less trendy and more vanilla.

[Anonymous]

Please give examples of "vanilla" kitchen... what type of granite? what type/color flooring? thanks

[Anonymous]

Please let the buyer do the updating! I hate nothing more in a house than a hastily updated kitchen or bath with finishes to please a generic buyer that I will want to rip out but can't justify to do so.

[Anonymous]

Vanilla: White cabinets, New Caledonia granite, hardwood or tile floors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please let the buyer do the updating! I hate nothing more in a house than a hastily updated kitchen or bath with finishes to please a generic buyer that I will want to rip out but can't justify to do so.

+ a zillion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please let the buyer do the updating! I hate nothing more in a house than a hastily updated kitchen or bath with finishes to please a generic buyer that I will want to rip out but can't justify to do so.

+ a zillion

I have young kids and we aren't handy - I would never buy a house that needed a major kitchen re-do. Just my preference right now.

I think light and bright - white cabinets, lighter granite or Quartz, midtone flooring or tile. If your kitchen is in good shape, you're probably fine but if it's 80's-tastic I'd redo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please let the buyer do the updating! I hate nothing more in a house than a hastily updated kitchen or bath with finishes to please a generic buyer that I will want to rip out but can't justify to do so.

This.
Clean and fresh is best. New paint is one thing. Blah "permanent" finishes are another. See above.

Price accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have young kids and we aren't handy - I would never buy a house that needed a major kitchen re-do. Just my preference right now.

I think light and bright - white cabinets, lighter granite or Quartz, midtone flooring or tile. If your kitchen is in good shape, you're probably fine but if it's 80's-tastic I'd redo.

However the OP didn't mention cabinets. Just counters and floors. So you might only be getting half of a "new" kitchen. Cabinets could still be "80's-tastic".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I have young kids and we aren't handy - I would never buy a house that needed a major kitchen re-do. Just my preference right now.

I think light and bright - white cabinets, lighter granite or Quartz, midtone flooring or tile. If your kitchen is in good shape, you're probably fine but if it's 80's-tastic I'd redo.

However the OP didn't mention cabinets. Just counters and floors. So you might only be getting half of a "new" kitchen. Cabinets could still be "80's-tastic".

I want to cry when I see new granite on old, outdated cabinets. Such a waste of money.

[Anonymous]

Do NOT put granite in. This is a huge turnoff to a lot of buyers now. But in a neutral countertop - quartz, soapstone, something with low visual impact.

Floors - I would still do wood-look tile. It's trendy, but it's not going out of style in the next 5 years. I don't think many people would be turned off by it yet. I am personally turned off by any tile kitchen floors - they look cheap and like an afterthought to the rest of the house. So wood look tile is a nice way to bridge these concerns.

If you do countertops, many sure you do an undercounter sink and replace the faucet. Also replace cabinet hardware. And voila, you have a pretty new looking kitchen without spending too much!

[Anonymous]

Agree don't bother in less you are doing everything including the cabinets. I'd worry what else you were trying to cover up. I like granite. Easy to care for and ours does not show dirt easily. Do not do soapstone in a family house as it takes maintenance. I hate tile, especially that fake wood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree don't bother in less you are doing everything including the cabinets. I'd worry what else you were trying to cover up. I like granite. Easy to care for and ours does not show dirt easily. Do not do soapstone in a family house as it takes maintenance. I hate tile, especially that fake wood.

Not true about the soapstone. We've had soapstone counters since 2011 and do zero maintenance. They look great. You can choose to oil them if you want a darker look, but it certainly isn't necessary. And unlike granite, no sealing is needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do NOT put granite in. This is a huge turnoff to a lot of buyers now. But in a neutral countertop - quartz, soapstone, something with low visual impact.

Floors - I would still do wood-look tile. It's trendy, but it's not going out of style in the next 5 years. I don't think many people would be turned off by it yet. I am personally turned off by any tile kitchen floors - they look cheap and like an afterthought to the rest of the house. So wood look tile is a nice way to bridge these concerns.

If you do countertops, many sure you do an undercounter sink and replace the faucet. Also replace cabinet hardware. And voila, you have a pretty new looking kitchen without spending too much!

+1 to all of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree don't bother in less you are doing everything including the cabinets. I'd worry what else you were trying to cover up. I like granite. Easy to care for and ours does not show dirt easily. Do not do soapstone in a family house as it takes maintenance. I hate tile, especially that fake wood.

Not true about the soapstone. We've had soapstone counters since 2011 and do zero maintenance. They look great. You can choose to oil them if you want a darker look, but it certainly isn't necessary. And unlike granite, no sealing is needed.

It depends on the actual stone but most chip and you should oil them. They look crappy not oiled and just look trendy. Most people will to want them.