Pimp my kitchen?

[Gabe C.]

I just closed on a place today (4/3/1), and we've shown it to a few prospective tenants, who are interested, but think the kitchen is dumpy and want either a rent reduction or a facelift for our asking price ($1500). The kitchen is fine and has nice granite countertops, but it doesn't seem up to snuff for my target demographic. The kitchen has a few interesting issues... and they seem to be the difference between attracting a B tenant vs. an A tenant from what we've seen so far.

1) the previous owner fancied himself a craftsman and "refinished" the cabinets. From a (great) distance, they look fine, but as you get closer you can see that the stain didn't take well in some spots and on the edges there's some wood putty staining where the stain did take. They look very DYI/unprofessional. 

2) The tenants we've shown were also not impressed with the appliances. They are 10 years old entry level models. The fridge feels like one you'd keep in the garage. They scream cheap. (sorry the pictures aren't the greatest. I wasn't thinking about posting when I took them).

3) The previous owner built his own island. This is functional, but is super homemade looking. He used plywood and screwed it to the floor. I could possibly do damage to the hardwood if I pull it up. Possibly screwed/glued to the floor.

This is my first rental that needs any kitchen work, so I'm wrestling with cost vs. appeal. I could get $100 more a month and maybe attract a better tenant if I can get the kitchen to sparkle a little more. That means some of:

• Replace appliances with mid-level stainless - Basically the cheapest model that passes Consumer Reports tests and doesn't have a bunch of rage-quits in their reviews. I was thinking maybe just do the fridge and dishwasher since they are the ugliest, and wait out the range since it's got some life left in it... even though it would be mismatched with the white. I could even put the current fridge in the garage as a bonus fridge for storing frozen meats/beers/extra food. Could be a selling point! The new stainless might be enough of a facelift on its own? Maybe it's worth the extra to replace the whole set to avoid the mismatch?
• Paint cabinets or replace cabinets - new cabinets seem crazy, but is painting just going to cost me hundreds and only get me a small % of the way there? The only nice painted cabinets I've seen have come from the factory that way.
• Leave the homemade island or kill it - maybe replace it with a semi-cheap table style island with matching granite top (or just remove it altogether and fix and floor damage creating more open space)

What is my biggest bang for buck? I could do nothing and hope to find someone that doesn't care about the look of the kitchen, or maybe just take the $100 hit on rent. I could do some of the above and let that extra $100 per month pay it off over a year or two. Or I could go whole hog and get everything taken care of and just eat the cost with the hope of attracting the best tenant and the highest rents for the next 10 years. What would you do?

[Michael Boyer]

Here is what I would do if it were my rental (complete with granular details) assuming this is not a luxury rental and you are just looking for fair "rental condition" and some low cost wow factor (or at least some "ok decent" factor)....

First I would pull the knobs and TSP (I like the powder mixed with water) the cabinets and use the abrasive side of a Scotch Brite sponge--just dip it in the TSP (and hotter water cuts the kitchen greases)...

Rub all the exterior cabinet surface (and island) to clean and degloss the cabinets (your handy tenants, like mine, turn out to be not so much --in the end)... Rinse off by wiping with damp rag (re-rinse it as you go in a bucket of water)... Keep paper towels or old towel or paint tarp on the floor and on the counter to catch the yucky run off. Let dry a day...

We need to paint these babies white as mentioned. It is that or rip them out in my view, (as my stain recipe probably can't save these). I think we need a coat or two of good primer, too (ask your paint pro if you don't have a got to primer... I am a kilz fan for hiding dark shades, but the oil based I avoid unless battling something nasty, so try lower VOC).. 

For cabinet paint I like Ben Moore's Advance made for cabinets--does not run and low VOC (water based). Pick a white you like--one that hides smudges and dirt...

I would do the funky island island, too. It may look decent if white and is not the end of the world Vinson Price haunted house door stain color (patent pending on that color name, too :)... Who knows what we find underneath if we pull it and we do not want to repair or replace floors...

Brush the paint on thin... with a good priming one coat may do it... to recoat, you scuff lightly (same scrub sponge but dry and wipe to slightly degloss and brush on coat #2 if needs be)..

So you are only at probably 50-100 bucks in paints there--but tons of labor and elbow grease.

I would add knew bling cabinet knobs, too, unless the new ones look ok (but a sliver or gold or bronze metallic might look good..) Maybe 50 bucks on those...

Lot of labor but I think you get a new look without a full remodel here... Everything looks sound structurally (just cosmetic problems)... and you avoid the dreaded domino effect (if you get new cabinets, then may as well go new counter, so may as well go new sink, faucet,  add a backsplash and now you need new bling appliances so the old ones don't look out of place... and heck maybe... you get the idea)...

Then I would hit the old pause button before I did the appliances IF they are  functioning well (frig is quiet and undamaged inside). I might replace the dishwasher with a new white one to match the refrigerator, microwave and stove--white theme is ok for rentals in my book (watch a few youtube vids on this replacement unless you have done it a few times)... Replace the lines at the same time (to disposal and supply to DW).

Then you overall brighten the kitchen on the showing without too much in terms of replacing items (you could/should also just prime and line the inside of the cabinets too as they open them and say wow! or "decent" and not "it is dark in here"...) ..

Mention the new dishwasher, and have some nice flowers on the funky island and the paper work on the unit and maybe a tablet so it looks like it has a purpose....

Best of luck..

Best of luck..