Many people call the kitchen the heart of the home, and it's easy to see why. It's used by multiple family members throughout the day and becomes a gathering spot for family and friends. And as people spend more time at home, this year is the perfect time to make your kitchen more appealing to yourself and your family as well as to prospective buyers if you're selling your home.

If your kitchen is outdated, an upgrade can improve its appearance and make it easier for you to complete your food preparation tasks. Our real estate agents suggest the following ways to upgrade your kitchen this year:

• Appliances that feature germ-control  
  Several manufacturers – including LG Electronics and Whirlpool – are set to roll out products that remove germs and allergens. LG, for example, has a refrigerator that uses ultraviolet lights to sterilize. And Beko Electrical Appliances Co. has a fridge that has a disinfection drawer.
  
  
• Lower-maintenance faucets, fixtures, and more 
  COVID-19 has also made homeowners prioritize cleanable kitchen finishes, and in some cases, microbial. Look for coated finishes like smudge-resistant stainless steel and countertops that are non-porous and stain-resistant. In some cases, countertops and other frequently touched surfaces can be antimicrobial.
  
  
• Large kitchen islands   
  With more people staying at home, having room to prep for a meal is more important than ever. That's why homeowners want to add a kitchen island or improve the one they already have. If you choose to upgrade your kitchen with an island, make sure it features storage in the form of shelving, cabinets, or pull-out drawers.
  
  
• Updated hardware  
  You probably don't pay much attention to your kitchen hardware. But if your knobs, pulls, and faucets are outdated, you can easily – and inexpensively – replace them to have a big effect on your kitchen's appearance. New hardware can give your kitchen a more modern, attractive look that creates an instant update.
  
  
• A fresh paint job   
  Painting your kitchen yourself or paying someone to do the job can make your kitchen look newer as it provides an instant refresh. Especially if you don't have much natural light in the room, using a lighter or brighter color can instantly give your kitchen a boost. If you're selling your home, it's best to stick to a relatively neutral color.
  
  
• Upgraded cabinets  
  Cabinets are workhorses in the kitchen, so if something about them has left you less-than-satisfied in their appearance or performance, now's the time to upgrade. Your cabinets don't need to be completely redone to achieve these results – often, a refreshed paint job will be enough to improve their appearance. You can also fix issues such as squeaky doors, chipped paint, and loose handles to help restore your kitchen into a point of pride.
  
  
• New backsplash   
  Installing a new backsplash is a relatively simple and inexpensive task that can have a big impact. Metal tiles, glass, and other materials can be used to make your home's backsplash look sleek and attractive.
  
  
• Modernized lighting   
  Many kitchens have outdated lighting, which negatively impacts the entire appearance and functionality. Choosing upgrades such as pendant lights or interior cabinet lighting can instantly make your kitchen brighter and focus light exactly where you need it.

Contact us if you're interested in listing your home. Our experienced, knowledgeable agents can suggest upgrades that will make your kitchen and home more attractive to prospective buyers while providing a good return on your investment.

Even if you're not planning to sell your home right away, it's a good idea to know how your actions affect your home's value long term. The updates you choose to do or not to do, or whether you do a repair now or put it off a while longer, can all impact how much you can sell your home for later on down the road. Here are 7 things that our real estate agents warn can decrease your property value.

1. Poor landscaping.  
   You've probably heard how important curb appeal is when you sell your home. It's important the rest of the time, too. When you let your yard go over a long period of time, it becomes difficult and expensive to reverse the long term damage to your landscaping when it comes time to sell.
   
   
2. Poor exterior paint.
   Curb appeal is also important when considering the exterior of your home. Specific paint colors can devalue your home by making it unappealing to buyers. Cracked and crumbling paint makes your home look run down, plus it might actually be causing damage by letting moisture get to your siding and woodwork.
   
   
3. The wrong interior paint.
   The color you painted your walls might be your favorite color, but it's not everyone's, and bright colors especially can be a hard sell. This doesn't mean you shouldn't express your uniqueness in your own home, but unless you intend to repaint everything when it comes time to sell, choose colors that are warm and neutral.
   
   
4. Deferred maintenance.
   Think it doesn't matter if you don't get that repair done right away? Think again. If you have a habit of putting off maintenance and repairs, the entire house will look run down, and chances are the small problems have become big ones by the time you get to them.
   
   
5. Out-of-date or poorly updated kitchen.
   The room buyers almost universally pay the most attention to when looking at Boise homes for sale is the kitchen. Even if you don't put a lot of work into anything else, be sure to update your kitchen. Remember, the kitchen has always been thought to be the heart of the home, and buyer preferences show this to still be true.
   
   
6. Bathrooms with bad taste.
   After the kitchen, the bathrooms are the next thing a prospective buyer tends to look at, so it's important to update them over the years. A dark bathroom with cracked tile, dirty grout, and outdated fixtures stands out like a sore thumb in today's world of bright, clean, spacious bathrooms.
   
   
7. Garage conversions.
   Yes, it might seem like a great idea to turn that garage into more living space, but when it comes time to sell your home, prospective buyers aren't likely to think of it that way. Most buyers want garage space, or at least the ability to choose for themselves what the garage will be used for. If you're going to turn the garage into something, such as workout space, make sure it's not a permanent change.

Owning a home is just like any financial investment: Your decisions today can have an impact years or even decades down the road. For more information about how to maximize your home's value, contact us today.

There are a lot of ways to gain an edge when you're listing your home for sale, but few are more effective than staging. When it comes to showing your home in the best possible light, it pays to go the extra mile. 

We have lots of experience staging and showing homes, and we're happy to share some of our favorite tricks and tips we've learned along the way! With more homes being shown online these days, staging is more important than ever.

1. Cut Down on Clutter
   You want your home to look as clean, clear, and clutter-free as possible when you stage it to be photographed. Some professional home stagers recommend removing one-third of the furniture and decor and storing it somewhere off-site. In any case, if you haven't already been de-cluttering as you've started to pack, now is the time. 
2. Leave a Few Choice Decorations
   As important as it is that your home not appear cluttered, it also should look like an inviting place to live. Hang onto a few well-chosen pieces of decor to keep your home looking stylish and welcoming. A stack of nice-looking books here, a couple of tasteful throw pillows there—little touches make a big difference. A few well-placed pieces of artwork or photographs are a nice touch as well but avoid personal family photos. You want future owners to be able to envision themselves living there, not thinking about the previous occupants. 
3. Let There Be Light
   Natural light is your best friend when it comes to making your house look open, warm, and inviting. Always photograph your house in daylight, with the shades and curtains open to let in plenty of sunlight. At the same time, you want to be careful not to photograph in direct, intense sunlight to avoid pictures looking blown-out. The ideal conditions are often in the late morning and early afternoon, when there's plenty of indirect light coming through the windows. 
4. Keep it Clean
   Now is the time to clean your house like it's never been cleaned before. You may even want to hire a professional to get your entire house spotless before having pictures taken. Pay special attention to the kitchen and bathroom; these are the two most important rooms in the home, and potential buyers will be unforgiving about dirt and grime in these areas. 
5. Highlight Improvements
   Don't shy away from highlighting your home's best assets. That includes any unique features or anything that's recently been redone or improved. Whether it's new windows, a redone bathroom, or just a few simple fixture upgrades, it helps to let buyers know. If you have any special lighting in your house, make sure to turn it on and show it off. 
6. Stage the Outside Too
   Your home's exterior is just important as the interior, and there are plenty of ways you can spruce up the outside of your house before having photographs taken. Make sure the yard is as neat and clean as possible, and give shrubs and hedges a trim. Stash the trash cans out of sight, and either put your car in the garage or park it down the street. If your landscape is lacking, spruce it up with some colorful flowers if you can. 

Contact me today to learn more about how staging can help you sell your home. I look forward to serving you!