Most articles you will read about what is going on in the housing industry are written by a designer or employee of a company that sells home products. The problem with that is the designer is saying what they hope is the next big trend. The employee is pushing product that the store carries. For example I recently saw an article saying that sliding barn doors are out. That could not be further from the truth!
We want to give you input is from the actual market! We show and list houses all the time, so we are in homes and see what sells homes daily. Thats not saying there wont be a new trend that comes along, but these are features that typically make homes sell fast and for top dollar…
Flooring: Wide plank, dark wood (another great option now is Luxury Vinyl Tile!). The best plan with flooring is to use the same flooring per level. This creates a great flow from room to room and does not chop up the home. For example, on the main floor – use all wood (or wood-type) and the second floor use carpet, except for the bathrooms, which should be tile. For bathroom tile upstairs (or any bathroom next to carpet) a great option is tile that has a wood plank look – it comes in lots of color variations from brown to gray.
Cabinets: Great choices are white or cream. Other options that are very popular now are painted gray or espresso or dark stained if you don’t want to paint. You can check in to refacing your cabinets for a lower cost than replacement.
Counter tops: Granite is still VERY popular. Quartz is also great, but to buyers they are about the same and quartz is more expensive. So choose either based on the style/pattern you like. When it comes to color of counter tops, consult an interior designer, stager or US!
Appliances: Stainless Steel is still the top pick in this area. They now cost about the same as others now due to their popularity.
Bathrooms: Seamless (glass) showers or large walk-in showers are very desirable to todays buyers. Gold accents and fixtures in your bath are definitely out – brushed nickel or rubbed oil are your best bets. (Side note – all gold is “out” in houses right now – you can start changing that out on a floor by floor basis. Start with the lights, then the knobs and faucets and don’t forget the hinges!)
Paint: This is an area where most people need input, but wall colors can make a HUGE difference on the appearance of your home. It needs to look new and fresh but not white. A designer or stager can certainly help with this as well as Sherwin Williams Color Counselors! All wallpaper is out – that includes borders.
Hope this helps clear up some questions for you. NOTE: We pay for a stager to come into all our listings and write up a report on what should be changed/updated so we can get the top dollar for our clients in selling their home! Call Mike and Lorie Strange today if you are thinking about listing, to make sure you make the right changes to your home.
