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When it comes to investing in upgrades prior to listing your home for sale, experts almost always suggest focusing on the kitchen<\/a> and bathroom. Renovating these two areas can make a huge impact, potentially even netting you a higher-than-expected purchase offer.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Updating your cabinets with a fresh coat of paint has become a popular way for many homeowners to give their kitchens a facelift without shelling out thousands<\/a> of extra dollars, but some real estate agents believe sellers may be painting themselves into a corner instead. Here\u2019s what they won\u2019t tell you about painting kitchen cabinets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n According to Pablo Vadillo, regional director at United Home Group<\/a>, only cabinets made with certain materials can be painted. \u201cDifferent woods can react differently to paints and dyes, so it\u2019s important to understand which type you\u2019re dealing with,\u201d he explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Make sure you\u2019re painting (or refinishing) a cabinet in its best light.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cFor example, the most common cabinet woods include alder, cherry, oak, maple, hickory, and birch,\u201d he says. \u201cEach has its own characteristics and pros and cons \u2014 alder is excellent for varnishing, cherry is hard and durable, maple has a close grain pattern that makes it ideal for painting or staining, birch is great if you\u2019re on a budget<\/a>, while hickory is extremely strong yet requires expert-level experience as it\u2019s challenging to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In addition to ensuring your cabinets can <\/em>be updated, Vadillo says many people forget to get them accurately prepared for a fresh coat of paint, pointing out that many laminate cabinets require a thorough cleaning before work can get started.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cAdditionally, [homeowners need to] check if there are existing layers of stain, paint or glaze on the cabinets \u2014 many mid-century modern homes have glazed cabinets which means more sanding or stripping with hazardous chemicals may be necessary.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Kitchen updates are expensive and can be financially out of reach for many homeowners. This is especially true for sellers trying to make multiple updates to get their home ready to sell, which is why DIY paint jobs have become so popular. But David Rosen, head of The Rosen Team<\/a> at Douglas Elliman, says that giving your cabinetry a glow-up on your own can sometimes send a message to buyers about just how much money you\u2019ve actually invested in your property. \u201cThe problem with quick fixes, like painting cabinets, is that it\u2019s easy to spot,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n When it comes to tackling bigger projects around the home, Jennifer Baptisa<\/a>, a licensed real estate agent in Massachusetts, has strong feelings. \u201cI believe that painting anything in the house, like real estate, should be left to the pros,\u201d she says. \u201cEspecially when you are using light colors to paint a kitchen, it\u2019s very, very easy for issues to arise, and for the cabinets to go from looking polished to poorly executed.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n That can mean everything from forgetting to prep, like Vadillo pointed out, to using an unforgiving paint color that could highlight any imperfections.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Baptisa also says sellers should steer clear of cabinet makeovers prior to listing their home, because there\u2019s just no way they can possibly know what paint color will win a buyer over. \u201cSome people are very picky about the stain or paint they choose for their kitchen,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n You may choose a neutral shade with the hopes that it would appeal to a wide range of buyers, unintentionally losing someone who was looking for a kitchen with a traditional stain finish like those currently coming back into favor<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNot every type of cabinet is suitable for painting.<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Many people skimp on the prep work.<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
You may be unconsciously telling prospective buyers that you skimp on upgrades.<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The average homeowner just doesn\u2019t have the skills to pull it off.<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
There\u2019s no way to know what future buyers want.<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n