Whether you plan to sell your home immediately, or within the next few years, updating the kitchen can go a long way to help or hinder its resale value.

Do

The kitchen can be the room that makes or breaks a sale. Upgrading the appliances goes a long way to refresh the look and increase the home’s value. Try to pick appliances that the most amount of people will enjoy, so opt for stainless steel refrigerators for sale and leave the retro blue finishes for someone else.

Cabinetry can be easily updated with a coat of paint and new drawer pulls. Save your money on less important areas like this so you can go big where it counts, on appliances, countertops, and flooring.

Don’t

Along with the dos, here are some don’ts when it comes to remodeling. Avoid installing an inconvenient kitchen island. While most home shoppers will be willing to pay more for a kitchen with an island, if it is in the way, or in an inconvenient location it will disrupt the flow of traffic and hurt your resale value. If it is unlikely that an island would improve the kitchen layout, go without.

If your cabinets are old and can’t be salvaged, you should install new ones. Avoid the trend to install shelves with a gap between the top of the shelves and the ceiling. This space will be useless and only collect dust. Ceramic floors are another bad choice, they are not comfortable to stand on for long periods of time, and will break dishes more easily than other flooring types.

Maybe

Countertops and sinks fall into the maybe category. This all depends on the condition of your current fixtures. If you have solid stone countertops you can reseal them instead of replacing them. If you have a sink where the basin is in good condition, you may just need to replace the faucet for a quick upgrade.

Another maybe is color. If you are looking to sell your home immediately you will want to pick a neutral color that is the most appealing to the buyers. If you are not selling your home for a few years and want to have a more personal feel to the room you can use warmer colors like orange and yellow. Keep the tones pastel so they are not overpowering and will be easy to paint over. When you find stainless steel refrigerators for sale, keep the oven and sink in other finishes. Too much steel can make a kitchen feel cold and sterile. The good news is that upgrading your kitchen will not only help the resale value of your home, but will make it more enjoyable to use in the meantime.