Can the Right Appliances Increase Your Home’s Value?
While it may be unlikely that one or two new appliances alone can increase the overall value of your home, upgrading key rooms—particularly the kitchen—can net you an excellent return on investment when you’re selling.
Today’s blog post highlights some of the best appliances you can purchase as part of larger home improvement projects that will absolutely increase your real estate value. These upgrades may also help your home sell faster if you work to provide what prospective buyers are looking for.
Not thinking of selling your home? It may still be well worth your time and money to invest in upgrading essential everyday appliances to gain energy efficiency (and save on your utility bills) or to simply make your house more enjoyable for entertaining and daily living.
Focus on Home Improvements That Buyers Want
When you’re selling your home, real estate experts advise concentrating on making your home “move-in ready,” so potential buyers really won’t have to make any changes to fixtures and features before moving in. Giving your home this level of attention before you list it can often make a huge difference in the sale price you realize.
Obviously, you can’t anticipate or accommodate every buyer’s unique preferences. However, making sure that your home’s systems (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, etc.) and other features that you won’t take with you—like kitchen appliances (seriously, you should just buy new ones for your new home)—are in new or otherwise pristine condition will make your house more desirable across the board.
Best Appliances for Adding Home Value
So, what appliance purchases will get you the most bang for your real estate buck? Upgraded kitchen appliances are number one. After that, believe it or not, making sure you’re offering a clean and modern laundry area will generate a lot of buyer interest, too.
In the Kitchen
While you should be thinking seriously about installing a matching suite of kitchen appliances—all the same brand or at least the same finish, such as stainless steel—you can upgrade your kitchen by making sure these appliances are new, high-quality, and have the latest features.
Buyers will be paying attention to these kitchen appliances most closely.
Refrigerator
While refrigerators come in a dizzying array of styles and size configurations now, most buyers will be looking to see whether your fridge can accommodate their family’s needs. And, that means that it should be relatively new (less than two years old) and the right size for your kitchen and home.
As we discussed in our earlier blog post about the best energy-efficient refrigerators, 19-22 cu. ft. is the recommended capacity range for a family of four. If your home is quite a bit larger than 3-4 bedrooms (which would be considered standard for a family of four in 2020)—or you want to appeal to more serious home chefs with a large, impressive kitchen—you’ll want to shop bigger fridges.
A word of caution, however. Don’t install an over-large refrigerator in a smaller kitchen where it becomes the main focal point. Spending a lot of money on just this one appliance won’t really get you much in terms of ROI unless it fits well with the other kitchen appliances, too.
Dishwasher
When it comes to dishwashers, most buyers are looking to see whether one is installed at all versus no dishwasher. While some homeowners don’t consider these time-saving appliances a necessity, they have become so for most home buyers today.
It’s equally true that dishwashers aren’t an expensive add-on in most kitchens that do not currently have one, but the key again is making it so your buyers can move into your home and not immediately need to tackle an upgrade project.
Cooktops and Ranges
Not every potential buyer will be the kind of home chef who is looking for a premium induction cooktop versus a gas range, for instance. And rarely is the type of stove you have installed in your kitchen a deal-breaker. However, you will want to seriously consider upgrading your cooking appliances ahead of listing your home for sale, especially if you currently have only an entry-level range/oven combo that’s also several years old.
Finding a great new cooktop or range that will catch buyers’ eyes is easier than you think when you work with the appliance pros at Gochnauer’s!
Elsewhere in Your Home
Did you know that most Americans now expect a separate laundry room to be part of newer homes? Instead of having a washer and dryer simply crammed into an unused corner of the garage or relegated to a dark basement, home buyers today want a comfortable and convenient space for getting laundry done.
Washers and Dryers
If your home does not have a standalone laundry room, don’t worry. Even though this convenience is on many buyers’ wish lists, having a laundry area located on the main living level of your home can be just as appealing. Especially if your laundry machines are new, high-efficiency, and offer the latest features, like steam washing and generous capacities to handle large loads.
Pay Attention to Energy Efficiency
Younger buyers especially are looking for that ENERGY STAR logo on all the appliances we’ve talked about in today’s post. While refrigerators and freezers are potentially the appliances where energy efficiency matters the most (because they’re designed to operate 24/7), more people are now concerned about the amount of power that a dishwasher or laundry machines consume, too.
Lancaster County’s Best Appliance Values Are at Gochnauer’s Home Appliance Center
Whether you’re planning to sell your home shortly or you’re simply making upgrades to your kitchen, laundry area, and more for your own benefit, Gochnauer’s is your high-quality appliance resource right here in East Petersburg, Pa.
Drop by and browse our showroom today to find the best brands and excellent prices on everything from washers and dryers to garbage disposals, grills, and everything in between!