What to Look for in the Kitchen When Buying a House

They say, ‘a great kitchen can sell a home’ and whilst this may be true, how can you tell if the kitchen is great, if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for?

A kitchen is for many, the central point of the home. It’s the deal maker or the deal breaker when buying a house. That’s why it’s essential that you know how to assess a home’s kitchen well. Below, we’ve gathered a list of the top things you need to be looking for.

Design

Everybody has their own preference when it comes to the design or style, and there’s certainly no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to kitchens. Evaluate the design of the kitchen including the colour and the style and decide whether you could live with the style if you moved in, or whether it would need upgrading instantly. If the latter, you should consider the cost of this before making an offer.

Function

Just like with the design of a kitchen, everybody has their own idea of what they would like in their kitchen, and how it works. Some prefer a dishwasher; some prefer to not have the washing machine in the kitchen. The functionality of a kitchen should be revealed in a seller’s disclosure statement, which itemises and notes any malfunctions with any of the major kitchen appliances that are installed. This doesn’t mean, however, that you shouldn’t do your research before an offer is made.

Worktops

Worktops in a kitchen can be expensive to replace, with many choosing to replace them with the whole kitchen all at once to completely transform the space. Look at the current countertops in place and determine if they’re broken or chipped in any way. If they are granite or wood, has it been properly looked after? Is it free of marks and scratches? Again, you may want to consider the price of replacing these if not.

Flooring

Whilst wood flooring in any room is beautiful, in a kitchen it may need to be refinished due to scratches from appliances or any accidents that have occurred. The same goes for tiled flooring so make sure you check for any cracking or faulty tiles.

Electricals and Plumbing

The last thing you want to do is to move into a home and find the kitchen doesn’t work properly. The appraiser and inspector should do a thorough check of all electrical systems before you move in, so make sure you go through this review properly, before you arrive at dodgy water or electricity.

Whatever you need to know about a kitchen or a property as a whole, we here at Home Estate Agents are more than happy to help. Feel free to get in touch and ask us about any of the properties you’ve seen on our website so far.