It is not surprising that with the recent popularity of lifestyle and reality television cooking programs such as Master Chef, many Australians have been inspired to brush up on their culinary skills. It logically follows then that the gourmet centre of the home, the kitchen, has risen in significance as an important property feature, especially when it comes to selling.
According to Archicentre, the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects, thanks to Australians' love of cooking and entertainment, the kitchen has become the show piece of the Australian dream home and is a major selling tool as well as a fashion statement.
There is no doubt that a lot of money can be spent on creating a fantastic kitchen – on its design, fixtures and fittings, and appliances. When renovating a kitchen, it is therefore important for home owners to consider their purpose so as to ensure funds are spent wisely. Archicentre State Manager Queensland, Ian Agnew, notes the significant difference between redesigning a kitchen for your family's purposes as opposed to when preparing for sale.
"If you are renovating to sell the property it is often better to not over capitalise and leave the kitchen un-renovated allowing the new owner to renovate to their own style," said Ian Agnew.
According to Ian, Archicentre is seeing some of the following trends in kitchen design:
• The use of drawers for the storage of crockery, cooking utensils and saucepans, as well as in the cupboard;
• Open-plan layouts;
• Clean, featureless appearances;
• Concealed appliances;
• Large island benches;
• Computer in the kitchen (used by approximately one in four renovators);
• Walk in pantries;
• The incorporation of natural light; and
• Ensuring the kitchen has a pleasant outlook through feature windows.
Given that such large sums of money can be invested into renovating kitchens, it may be a worthwhile exercise to seek professional advice about how this capital can be best spent in achieving your kitchen goals.
For information regarding any aspect of the sale of your home, including how a kitchen can be incorporated into your selling plans, please do not hesitate to drop into any Century 21 office around the country to talk to one of our real estate professionals.