New kitchen ''makes a home more saleable''

25/06/2008

A real estate expert has reminded homeowners that improvements to a property's kitchen and bathroom can make it more attractive to potential buyers.

Jane Walmsley, area sales director at Your Move, noted that the current property market could mean improvements do not add much value to a home, but suggested they could make it more likely to sell.

"A new kitchen or bathroom will certainly make [a house] more saleable. You would struggle to sell a property without them when you've got loads on the market," she commented.

Research from the UK's largest independent estate agency group, Spicerhaart, discovered a new kitchen was the most attractive improvement, with 71 per cent of respondents saying it would make a property more attractive.

New bathrooms were next, with 53 per cent saying it was a worthwhile addition to a home, while 46 per cent chose conservatories.

Swimming pools were voted as the least attractive improvement, with some claiming this would lower the value of a house.