STEAMBOAT SPRINGS-The kitchen is the focal point and most heavily used room in the house - and the wear & tear shows. It's the hub of conversation and the gathering place for almost every event. It's where kids come ravaging for food and parents congregate to recap the work day.

Whether it needs to be brightened up, organized or expanded, your kitchen might just be one update away from idyllic.

Keep in mind that a functional and cleanly kitchen isn't just about visual appeal. As the primary room of the house responsible for food storage and preparation, a delicious meal is only as good at the environment in which it's served.

 

So here are 5 reasons you should consider it time to upgrade your worn out kitchen.

 

1) Old and dated appliances

Most homes come equipped with working appliances when you buy and it's easy to overlook how a functional machine should be considered for replacement. But outdated appliances are often unattractive and require more energy to run than modern equipment.

There are also safety factors to consider as well. Worn appliances are prone to leaks and tears in both liquid and gas lines, while worn electric cords and cables become more exposed and apt to shorting out.

When upgrading your appliances, you should give a certified electrician an opportunity to inspect your wiring and verify that your kitchen is up to modern code.

2) Nicks, Scrapes and Too Much Wear

With the amount of foot traffic your kitchen sees, nobody expects it to remain in like-new condition forever. But when things get beat beyond the norm it's time you address the current state of the room.

When's the last time you pulled your refrigerator out and away from the wall or took a hard look under your sink? Small drips and leaks can lead to large damage areas and create health concerns such as mold accumulation, peeling floors and worse.

Cracked, chipped and splintering counters are also the easy to look past if we tend to turn a blind eye. But by giving your kitchen an honest and renewed once-over you may be surprised to reveal just how unsightly these features can be to the visiting guest (or potential buyer).

Granite, soapstone and other hard countertop materials are often a good overall investment that can last a lifetime.

 

3) Limited space on the counters

In a perfect world, your counters would be cleared of utensils, appliances and stored food items. But who honestly can live that way all the time? So the remaining option might be to look for creative ways to add more counter space.

Adding more countertop to your existing kitchen doesn't have to mean blowing out walls and overhauling the existing floorplan. If your room has the space, installing a kitchen island is one of the easiest solutions to gaining more countertop work area.

If your kitchen is already equipped with enough counters but appears overrun with clutter then larger cabinets or more efficient use of storage drawers might be the best place to start. Finding better ways to stow lesser used items can be a great way to reclaim kitchen elbow room.

 

4) Disheveled organization

If cooking a meal requires a huge time commitment because you spend so many minutes looking for utensils and cookware, then it sounds like time for a change.

Whether you know it or not, an unorganized kitchen creates anxiety that might render your kitchen practically useless. Although it may seem like a daunting task, spending a day addressing the overall organizational strategy for this space is a project worth tackling.

A fresh design that leads to more accessible items in your kitchen can mean more enjoyment of the cooking process and less stress around mealtime.

 

5) Home buyers aren't interested

Especially if your home is for sale, an upgraded kitchen is a vital component of the attractiveness of one's living environment. Kitchen upgrades prior to a sale are often proven to pay for themselves in terms of resale value.

Home buyers naturally flock to the kitchen when touring a property, making this room a vital component of attracting a purchase offer. We're seeing more and more home buyers looking for places that are move-in ready with little remodeling required. By presenting them a more appealing and updated kitchen to explore you inherently elicit more motivation to make an offer.

So when you go home tonight, I urge you to take a closer look at that kitchen of yours. When the time is right, go ahead and consider an upgrade and let the heart of your home shine once again.

This article is sponsored by: Cheryl Foote has been awarded the honor of Steamboat’s Top Producing Real Estate Agent for the last 2 years running. She is a wife and mother of three. Cheryl’s experience in working with buyers and sellers to maximize their Steamboat real estate investments spans over 20 years and has earned her Sotheby’s International Realty top awards. 

If you’re interested in the Steamboat Springs real estate market, contact Cheryl at 970-846-6444 or visit:www.RealEstateInSteamboat.com