Must-Have Home Décor & Design Features that Home Buyers Want in 2014: Part 1

It takes just seven seconds for someone to develop a first impression. If you’re looking to sell your home, it’s important for you to know what home buyers are looking for this year. Hitting a few key must-haves in home design and decor can make or break a sale.

New home buyers are showing they are increasingly more willing to trade space for better features, and wish lists are only becoming longer so knowing what people are looking for is essential when getting ready to put your house on the market. Making a few simple upgrades to your current home can create a substantial return on investment when selling it. Those dollars can be reinvested into your next home – representing huge mortgage savings.

If that sounds like a lot of work, don’t worry – we’re here to help. We’ve developed an overview of home décor, design and building features that buyers are on the lookout for this year.

Get cooking with these kitchen renovation ideas

First things first: Updated kitchens are a must. New home buyers want places that are move-in ready. Rather than having to spend money on renovations, a lot of buyers would prefer to put their savings toward mortgage costs, so they don’t want old cabinetry and dated appliances. They want stainless steel, range hoods and low-maintenance surfaces like granite, quartz and Corian.

An emerging trend in the kitchen is the incorporation of raw materials – barn board, brick veneer, concrete and wood planks. If you don’t have the budget to afford a complete kitchen renovation, here are some affordable ways to update your kitchen and impress potential buyers.

• Re-paint your cabinets: You don’t need to go out and purchase a whole new set of cabinets. With a little TLC and a fresh coat of paint or stain, your old ones will look good as new. Popular colours for 2014 are light grey and charcoal.
• New hardware: Updating the handles and knobs in your kitchen can go a long way. Be sure to count the exact number that you’ll require so you can do quick calculations in store. It’s easy to go over-budget on hardware, as the pieces add up quickly.
• Lighting: Step aside under-cabinet lighting, sconces are in for 2014. With many shapes and styles, these lamps offer ambient lighting, which is perfect as in recent years the kitchen has become an entertaining hub within the home. You might also want to consider a chandelier to hang above your table- you can likely find one for under $200 that will completely transform the look of your kitchen.

Now that you’ve got the kitchen under control, the rest of the house could use some attention as well. For more Must-Have Features that Home Buyers Want in 2014 , check out part two here for great tips on sprucing up your bathroom and living areas.

Understanding the trends that draw buyers in will offer you a huge advantage over other sellers in the same market. While you don’t need to take every single suggestion we’ve offered, implementing a few of these affordable upgrades will help you nail that all-too-important first impression.

Remember, seven seconds is all it takes.