Why Kitchen Remodeling Is A Wise Investment

Kitchen remodeling influences the value of your home and the quality of your life.  It should fulfill your dreams while having a positive influence on the value of the house.  Kitchen styles are ever changing.  But often, a house will be sold before the remodeled kitchen goes out of vogue.  It is essential to remodel you kitchen according to what is going on in the local market, not just according to your own personal whimsy.

Everyone has a different definition of what constitutes a dream kitchen.  Some like open spaces for entertaining, while others what a closed space where nobody can see the dirty dishes.  One person might not cook often and only needs basic appliances, while another needs professional grade equipment.  Your first step is to determine your own wants and needs.  Start by asking yourself what you like about your current kitchen, and what frustrates you.  Focus on long term thinking, and choose solutions that will evolve with the needs of your household.

Don't lose sight of the effect you kitchen remodeling will have on your homes market value.  The one room that most influences the decision of a home buyer is the kitchen.  Make sure your decisions reflect the evolving style and property value of your local area.  Asking the opinion of friends in the real estate business is not a bad idea.  They know what current buyers are looking for, and can likely let you know about something you haven't thought of but would definitely add value to your home.

Be careful not to under improve your kitchen.  That means don't leave out things that, although not important to you, would be very important to the next owner.  You might not be fond of granite slab countertops, but it might be all the rage locally.  If your home hits the market with laminate countertops, homes with granite will have a distinct advantage over yours in this tough real estate market.

Over improving is the opposite problem.  Lets say that the home prices in your market will not allow you to recover the cost of installing custom kitchen cabinets.  If customized cabinetry is not important to you, then this would be foolish.  However, if your dream has been to have custom designed cabinetry, and you plan on staying in your house for a very long time, then the return on the investment should not be an issue.

Local trade shows are a great place to find out what is going on in the market place.  The vendors that have the vendors that have the most activity around their booths are obviously offering something that the majority of the public wants.  Real estate tours of new construction homes are also a good place to see what is new and hot in the market.  Remember that what is new is not necessarily what is popular.  Pay attention to how others are reacting to what you are seeing.

Ultimately, your kitchen remodeling project should be designed to make you happy and fit your budget.  How long you plan to stay in your home is an important factor in determining how you should proceed.  If you are going to flip the house in just a couple of years, then you need to be fully aware of the most popular trends and plan accordingly.  Should you desire to live in your house for a long time, then you should be more concerned with your own personal preferences, as what is popular now might be out of vogue ten years down the road.  In either case, you are going to have to live with the choices you make for some time.