Do kitchens and bathrooms really sell homes? I get this question so frequently, so I thought I’d set the record straight in today’s blog post. Spoiler alert: it’s not a simple yes or no answer, but kitchens and bathrooms are super important.

If you work in real estate, you know that the kitchen is a HUGE selling point for the home. According to USA Today, “…studies have shown as many as 80% of home buyers list the kitchen as their favorite room”. The reality is, if the kitchen looks good, buyers are more likely to overlook more outdated areas. Additionally, since the kitchen is the focal point of the home (aka the “heart of the home”) to many people, showing an impressive kitchen will more often than not produce a heftier offer, even if the rest of the home is average.

Let’s Talk Remodeling

If your budget only allows you to remodel one room, the kitchen is the space to choose. A remodel can definitely be a big undertaking, but overall, the remodel typically will be worth it since it will allow you to sell your property for more money. Major kitchen remodels are the best way to improve the overall feel of your home because it is essentially one of the most-used rooms of the house, meaning it’s the easiest space to become rundown. Even a minor kitchen remodel will bring you a high ROI! If you have the budget, I’d spend it on a kitchen remodel, big or small.

What About the Bathroom?

Bathrooms are definitely important to a buyer but in comparison to the kitchen, the kitchen is more of a priority. In terms of a remodel, I’d say remodeling the kitchen is more worth it than the bathroom if you can’t afford to do both. Plus, bathrooms don’t always need a major remodel but can be updated with a few minor adjustments. Here are a couple of easy ways the bathroom can be taken from basic to chic:

1. If the cabinets are looking a little outdated, paint them. Just make sure it looks professional.
2. Update the hardware. This couldn’t be easier… updated knobs or pulls can make such a difference in the overall look of the bathroom.
3. Refresh the sink and faucet. This is a little bigger of a project but one that will totally change the way your bathroom looks, and can even give you more space.
4. Upgrade the countertop. Probably the biggest adjustment on the list, but a new countertop is a game changer.

At the end of the day, each home and each seller is different, and there are a lot of different factors that come into play when weighing whether to remodel. In my opinion, if your kitchen and bathroom look good, you’re going to have a lot more success selling the home. At the very least if remodeling isn’t an option, make sure everything looks clean and put together (more on home staging here), and don’t neglect the kitchen and bathroom.