Kitchen Remodeling Tips

A kitchen is often described as the heart and soul of the home, and for good reason. This is an area that is often used for family gatherings, for entertaining friends and for everyday living. You may begin mornings talking to your family in the kitchen about plans for the day, and you may end the day preparing a meal together while you discuss the day's events. This is also a room that receives a great deal of scrutiny by buyers when you list your home for sale, and its style can have a direct impact on property value. In fact, in some areas of the country, homeowners may recoup more than 80 percent of the cost of a remodel in an increase in property value. With this in mind, you may decide to remodel your kitchen soon. By following a few tips, you can more easily walk through the remodeling process and get the kitchen you want.

Do: Create a Plan
Some homeowners will throw together a kitchen remodeling project by the seat of their pants. They may work on the back splash one weekend, and they may decide to do flooring a month later. This can create a hodge podge look to your kitchen, and it also makes it more difficult to budget properly. The best idea is to create a thoughtful, well-researched plan up-front before you begin any aspect of the project. Pick out all of your materials up-front so that they look great together, and you can even order them ahead of time so that your project is not delayed.

Don't: Make Hasty Design Decisions
Your kitchen design will stay in your home for years to come and perhaps even a decade or longer. It will influence the style of your home, your property value and more throughout this time period. Consider if you have plans to sell your home during this time period, and if you do, choose materials and an overall style that has greater appeal to the masses. In addition, make design decisions that add to the functionality of your space. For example, you can move the appliances in different locations for better flow.

Do: Prepare a Remodeling Budget
A kitchen remodeling project may range in cost from a few thousand dollars to $10,000 or more, depending on the size of the kitchen, the quality of the features and other factors. Costs can easily mount, so it is important that you create a budget and tally all costs. If you plan to keep your existing appliances in place, you may want to get them serviced. Review your home warranty to see if your appliance work is covered in an effort to reduce remodeling and repair costs.


Don't: Forget to Plan for Kids and Pets During the Remodel
In the days leading up to the start of your kitchen remodeling project, think about the scope of the project and how this will impact your daily lives. Your pets, for example, may need to be kenneled in the days while workers are in your home so that they do not get underfoot. You may need to move your fridge to the garage so that you and your kids have access to cold foods as needed. You may even consider asking a nearby friend or relative if the kids can stay with them for a few days while this process is completed. Because of how frequently used a kitchen is, a remodel can cause upheaval in your home that needs to be planned for.

Do: Seek Financing If Needed
The last thing you want when remodeling your kitchen is to run out of money halfway through the project. Financing is available in a variety of forms to help you pay for the high cost of a kitchen remodel. For example, some will put the expenses on a credit card, and others will apply for a short-term installment loan. If you have equity in your home, you may be able to access that equity through a home improvement loan. Explore the options with your bank to better determine which financing option is right for you.


A kitchen remodel is an excellent idea for older homes or homes that lack superior style. However, this is a major undertaking, and you want the project to be completed without a hitch. These helpful tips will assist you in completing your project without hassle or delay.


Buying, selling, decorating, improving, or maintaining your home? Click here www.mickisellscharleston
Michelle Mustain
A House 'SOLD' Name
843-338-4898

MLS Real Estate Market Report for Charleston, SC. November 2016

CHARLESTON, SC—(November 10, 2016) According to preliminary data released today by the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® (CTAR) 1,272 homes sold in October in the region at a median price of $240,000. Sales volume and median price declined slightly, as expected, heading into the Fall. In October 2015, 1,264 homes sold at a median price of $225,000.

Year-to-date figures show 14,963 homes sold at a median price of $240,000 in our area. Comparing year-to-date figures from 2015, sales volume has increased 9% and buyers are paying 6% more for homes in the region than they did last year.

Inventory has declined by 19% over the last 12-month period, with 5,285 homes listed as “active” for sale in the Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service (CTMLS) as of October 31.  We expect that inventory will remain low, as it traditionally does, through the winter.

“October’s home sales remained strong and steady, particularly considering we had to contend with Hurricane Matthew, that evacuated much of the Lowcountry for multiple days” said 2016 CTAR President Michael Sally.  “We expect that sales volume will quiet some as we head into the holiday season, but price growth will likely remain steady as we are still working with a very limited inventory of homes” he concluded.

“The Association is proud to extend the opportunity to apply for hurricane relief funds, to any South Carolina resident impacted by Hurricane Matthew” Sally said. “Together with the South Carolina Association of Realtors® and the Realtor® Relief Fund, managed by our National Association, we are making funds available to South Carolina residents who have suffered property damage to their primary residence as a result of Hurricane Matthew. Assistance is limited to $1,000 per applicant and one grant per residence” he said.

September AdjustmentPreliminary data showed 1,608 homes sold in September in the region at a median price of $243,457. Adjusted data now shows 1,618 sales at the same median price.

Berkeley County323 homes sold at a median price of $213,690 in Berkeley County in October. There are currently 941 residential properties for sale in Berkeley County—808 single-family homes and 133 condos/townhomes.

Find Berkeley County area reports here. 

Charleston County622 homes sold at a median price of $313,205 in October in Charleston County. There are currently 2,890 residential properties for sale in Charleston County—2,190 single-family homes and 700 condos/townhomes.

Find Charleston County area reports here. 

Dorchester County282 homes sold at a median price of $208,696 in Dorchester County in October. There are currently 769 residential properties for sale in Dorchester County—708 single-family homes and 61 condos/townhomes.

Michelle Mustain

A House 'SOLD' Name

843-338-4898

http://www.mickisellscharleston.com

Top Home Selling agent in Mount Pleasant, SC

Staged, listed and SOLD in 5 days.
Michelle Mustain
A House 'SOLD' Name.
#sellingskills🗝 #MarketingStrategy📰 #HomeSellers🏡 #devotion#marketanalysis📈 #motivated🏃#charlestonstrong🏋

Michelle Mustain

A House 'SOLD' Name

843-338-4898

www.mickisellscharleston.com