I wouldn't paint them either. As a prospective buyer, I would rather paint them myself, than know that the buyer painted them and perhaps was not as meticulous as I would be in the prep work and painting. That is not to say you wouldn't be, just that it would be my thought that perhaps the seller, in an attempt to get a quick sale, might have painted without some of the prep work (degreasing, sanding, primer, etc) that is so crucial to a long lasting job. And I'd rather pick my color anyway. Just my opinion, but why go to the extra expense, work and mess if you don't have to.

Thanks Linelle. I tend to agree with you. But when three realtors suggest the same thing, you wonder. I never painted because I thought the cathedral doors would look old even in white or gray. It helps to have your point of view.

Thanks Iam702. I would hire a professional painter. But you make a great point. What if a buyer wanted to go with new everything or wants to change counters and get the white kitchen they were wishing for. There is definitely a time and cost benefit to just leaving the options open.

If I were told by 3 RE agents to paint the cabinets, I think I would take their advice. I am not a white kitchen lover and they don't seem to be in favor in my part of the country, but I think they are so on trend now, that it would probably be your best option for appealing to the most buyers (if that's what's selling where you live). You run the risk of picking an alternate color that the buyers don't like either. I think the idea is to make the kitchen look as acceptable as possible to the most # of buyers; some people will think they could live with it, you will increase your pool of buyers and possible profit. If they see something that screams "update me right now", they will either pass it by or offer much less $$ in order to do an immediate update.

I wouldn't eliminate white just because you have light counters. Take a look at this gallery; many of the kitchens have light counters and cabinets.

White kitchens

Lynda, I think you're wise to take that approach. I had my cabinets professionally painted and it was expensive, although they did a great job. New buyers may want to change the counters, or reorient the island, etc.

Price your house to sell. I think most people can see beyond some dated cabinets and imagine the possibilities, when their budget permits.

Mostly people don't do cathedral doors anymore so after all the expense of painting you will just have a painted cathedral door that some buyers will find unfashionable anyway.

What is the profit margin or what is a possible profit margin if you replaced the cathedral doors with a nice unfinished door and then had a professional paint it all? Is it worth it money wise or would you be better off just selling as is?

The kitchen isn't offensive and looks cared for.

However, I do understand where the Realtor's are coming from. My neighbor is selling her home and has a two year new top of the line A/C unit, a one year old very expensive new barrel tile type roof, new wood flooring in two of the bedrooms, a top of the line two year old pool pump, pool sweep and all else. She has dropped her price 30,000 over the past few months. Why? Because after all the money she put into the house all she is hearing is how the kitchen and bathrooms need remodeling. They are neat clean and unoffensive. So, if she would have changed out the doors and had them painted (bathroom as well) she would have sold her home long ago. She was (in my opinion) priced about 10,000 too high to start. If she would have spiffed the kitchen and bath she still would have been able to make at least 10,000 more then she will end up with and even after the expense of spiffing.

This is what you have to weigh out. Will it be profitable?

i'd leave them as is. normal cabinets, in a good shape. so they're oak(they are, right?) so what? if a buyer would love so much to update them-let him choose the color etc, when the house is his already. who knows what he'd like to change, or, on the opposite-what he'd love to leave

i wouldn't update the hardware either. lol. what's wrong with this one?

very neat kitchen, your home seems extremely clean=easier sale already

as for the three realtors suggesting the same..what market are you in?

regardless though, statistically it IS possible to get three bad advises in a row. LOL.

what looks outdated a bit is not so much the wood per se(i know, painted vs stained, oak is outdated, buyers expect, and other fiddledeedee)-but mostly the arches on the doors. well so what. there are still plenty of people who like them. if they can't stand them but love your house to the point of buying it-they'll think of what to do with it, whether to change the doors, etc. , when the house is going to be theirs.

(neither do i think it requires big vision to look past and beyond..it's not like they arrive to see some post war ruins and bravely look beyond or something. what's with people nowadays )

I can tell you that where I live, painting white or maybe an off white would add value. I'd look into General Finishes milk paint. If you want contrast, I'd rather repaint the walls than use a darker taupe for the cabinets.

The guys at my local woodworking shop highly recommend it.

Thread on General Finishes milk paint for cabinets:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3485219/cabinet-paint-rave?n=14

If you paint, I would go for a white or off-white. I doubt the darker colors you are suggesting would have widespread appeal (not that they aren't nice), and therefore wouldn't boost the price/speed the sale as much as white.

Thanks Olychick, Justerrilynn, aprilneverends and nosoccer mom. I truly appreciate your comments.
If I paint it seems white is the popular choice. Thanks for the helpful link Olychick. I am in a metropolitan area in Utah and white kitchens are still the thing. I agree with some of the comments that painting won't fix the cathedral doors. The agents seem to think painting will make for a faster sale but might not net much in total return. The kitchen is the only thing they remark on as a negative. Otherwise the house is pretty neutral and clean. The roof, bathrooms and HVAC are fairly new. (But I know that's not as alluring as a new kitchen.) It's a fairly good sellers market in my part of town so maybe it's sixes to the right buyer--especially if I can find someone like aprilneverends. :)

It's crazy how a lot of buyers think these days (thanks to all the shows on TV). You can give them a pool and a pony and all sorts of expensive upgrades but it all means nothing if the kitchen doesn't look like it came out of a magazine. And, this is even in the lower price points. For my next house I want to do my own kitchen remodel exactly how I personally want it. I want the house others won't buy because of the kitchen. But that's just me. The house I'm in now had a fairly new kitchen in not my style but I can't bring myself to rip out a perfectly good newish kitchen. So, I live only half happy with my interiors.

Best of luck on your sale Lynda!

I wouldn't paint those cabinet no matter what the agent said and I'm not against paint in general.

I agree with this.

As a prospective buyer, I would rather paint them myself, than know that the buyer painted them and perhaps was not as meticulous as I would be in the prep work and painting. That is not to say you wouldn't be, just that it would be my thought that perhaps the seller, in an attempt to get a quick sale, might have painted without some of the prep work (degreasing, sanding, primer, etc) that is so crucial to a long lasting job. And I'd rather pick my color anyway.

I hope the right buyer comes along for you and wants them left as is. Easier for everyone involved!

You're wasting your money. All the paint in the world isn't going to make this kitchen look like an updated kitchen. Your cabinets do not go to the ceiling, they have the arch, you have white appliances.

Price your house accordingly, i.e. for a price that will allow the buyers to do their OWN new kitchen. Or totally redo the kitchen and take the chance it won't be the taste of buyers.

well aprilneverends seems to find someone like her quite easily-so you should have no problem finding someone like aprilneverends:)

If three realtors told you the same thing, then we we need to hear what they are saying.

In my area, white kitchen with marble counters are put into all the upscale remodels or new builds. Look at Trulia or Zillow and get acquainted with what is happening in your town.

At the same time, I agree with all the above posters. In order for this kitchen to be updated, it needs to be painted, the arched doors replaced and all the appliances replaced to stainless. Would you get your money back if all is said and done?

Just painting, in my opinion is not going to get you the desired effect.

It depends on your target buyers. I am pretty confident that in my area, a 250.00 makeover like this would make the house sell faster and recoup more than the money invested, especially with a younger set of buyers. Even better if you can throw in SS appliances, no matter if they're cheapest. And, yes, to marble counters :)

Unless it's a tear down or we're talking a place in the high brackets where buyers would rip out the kitchen.

From www.Apartmenttherapy.com

Lynda, I worked for several years as a Realtor and can tell you that many will suggest things that aren't really necessary because it makes their job easier. Your cabinets really are fine, just make sure they're clean and present well. The important thing (and what the majority of folks look for) is that you have an open airy space and it's well maintained. Also many buyers love eat in kitchens and islands with seating because it's ideal for entertaining.

I would list it in a range that is competitve and if you get feed back that points to the cabinets being an issue, you can always offer to deduct the price of painting them from the list price as an incentive.

ETA: I actually love the way the space looks and think it has a nice appeal to it.

I wanted to try to find some pics of before's and after's with cabinets like yours for my post above, but ran out of time. I think visuals really help me decide stuff like this. I also thought of the kitchen nosoccermom posted above as an amazing update for little $$.

This is from an old GardenWeb HD thread and I think the white is just a mock up. I think it's a great example of what a difference just paint could make even with arched cabinets and those that don't go to the ceiling...white appliances, and light countertop, too.

I think this with the dark lowers looks great, too, as does the updated valance, and the light countertop:

different oak kitchen...I like the little strip of blackboard paint on the end of the cabinet.

Yes paint!

If I had to choose between two almost identical houses and one had your kitchen as is and the other had the 3rd picture down that Oilychick posted, I would go with the painted cabinets even if it cost a little more.

It looks fresh and I could live with that look a whole lot longer than the dated light wood.

Try to match the white to your appliances so they do not look as dated.

Please don't do cream, it will just look dingy when compared to the white appliances.

This site gives some great tips on painting cabinets. Yes many will disagree with chalk paint in the kitchen... however you will not be there long and the next person will likely update it in a few years anyway.

http://sincerelysarad.com/repainted-chalk-painted-cabinets/

Sorry to hijack but Linelle, and anyone else who's done it-can you provide some details about having cabinets professionally painted? I painted my kitchen cabinets many years ago. It was very arduous not least because I listened to my ridiculous husband who made it way harder than it needed to be-oil based paint and all kinds of prep that was overkill. Anyway, am considering painting wood cabinets again (not the same kitchen :), but I also am not sure I want to do a homemade job. If professionals can paint a kitchen to look, well, professionally painted it might be worth it to pay more for that but less than for new cabinets, or am I off base?

Any information on who you hired, price range, how the work was done (sprayed? brushed?) and how it turned out is much appreciated.

Thank you all. Your varied comments have helped me a lot. Olychick, I really appreciated all the visuals. They are right on point and really help me envision what a paint change would do for the room.

Nosoccermom, the home is in an area of "move up" homes. Not super luxury but not starter homes either. I expect ultimately the kitchen will be renovated by the next owner. The initial thoughts from the realtors were to update the kitchen enough that someone could live with it awhile.

Lukkiirish thanks for your insight. While none of the realtors suggested it, maybe a decorating credit would be a possibility if the kitchen is a stopper on potential sales. The kitchen is clean and functional for our family so while I know it's way out of fashion, it's been good for us.

After reading through the comments and factoring in what the real estate agents thought I think a little update around the edges (paint and/or SS appliances) is probably not worth doing at this point. It's an oak kitchen with cathedral doors. I don't think the changes I have the time and budget for are going to make up for that. Buyers can decide what they want to do with it since it will be theirs and they won't have paid for paint or appliances they may not like. In the meantime there is a certain appeal to letting it be. Thanks again everyone!

Its funny, what appeals to some and not others. I dont mind painted cabinets and in fact in the process of painting my own, however, I prefer to do my own painting. White cabinets to me, would not make me happy, but, It wouldnt stop a sale, since they can be repainted. I dislike anything stainless steel, so any appliances that are stainless, I would most likely ask for a credit, and for them to remove the stainless appliances before closing. Everyone has different tastes, I guess.

White cabinets to me, would not make me happy, but, It wouldn't stop a sale, since they can be repainted"-same here:). or well, it'd depend on a specific house too, I think. if it works great with the house it works.

but. why should I ask for credit just because I have different taste in appliances' color?

previous home had black appliances. i dislike black. really dislike black. (well i don't really like any appliances lol..unless it's something prohibitively expensive and in a color..but black would be my last choice). yet it didn't even appear to me that the sellers should give me credit because of my taste-specific preferences. the appliances weren't an eye sore. they were great European appliances. they worked.

(the microwave did gave up on us, after some time, that's true))

Lynda, believe me when I say, the majority of people who will think it's out of fashion will be limited to just those folks who are "into" decor and design. No body else knows the difference or even cares as long as it looks good to them. I have oak cabinets. I loved them when we bought our home, they were (and stil are) gorgeous to me. I didn't start feeling terrible about them until I read the multiple hate posts about them here. When my husband refused to paint them, I decided to embrace them instead. Now I don't really give a hoot what their popularity is because they fit beautifully in the room and really warm our space up. Plus, I am always getting compliments on them!

If your house was a higher end home where those kinds of upgrades are expected I could understand the concern. However, the typical buyer for your home is going to be an average middle class buyer with the average middle class expectations. They want clean. They often want open concept. They want low maintenance and the bigger ticket items to be in perfect working order. And they may want to see a couple little unexpected perks like a closet with built-ins, a finished or even a partially finished basement or maybe an updated master bath. Wait to include the incentive in the beginning and as I said, if you don't get positive feedback when it's listed, then you at least have a plan B which is to offer to cover the upgrade via a discount.

Good luck!

I updated my kitchen by replacing all of the 15 year old black appliances with stainless, adding hardware and some trim to the cabinets, and having the cabinets professionally painted.

I loved the result and wish I had done it sooner instead of right before we listed it for sale. I always wanted to but talked myself out of it because it wasn't the door style I preferred, but I didn't even notice that once they were pretty and white.

The total cost of the remodel wasn't inexpensive but we had a high end home and every other room except the kitchen had already been updated. I think also having an updated kitchen helped us sell quickly at list price.

We paid $3500 to have the cabinets painted (totally worth it once I saw how much time and effort went into the painstaking prep work).

Before and afters - the afters were taken before the stager came in to stage a bit more for the listing photos (I don't have any before pics with the black appliances but switching to stainless was a definite improvement):

yours is gorgeous, tnfarmhouse, no question..i remember the thread like it was yesterday

but you know my opinion-it was pretty much gorgeous before the painting too:) told then, repeating now-i don't usually like nor oak neither slate-i'd come running after your house. you forget about details you're not normally a fan of, when the whole sings.

and you're right by pointing out, same as lukkiirish did-yours is/was a high end home

i have a very, very well-off acquaintance, here in Southern CA..they bought a pretty grand home when Tuscan trend was all the rage, and when I had no idea there are trends, and that one was called Tuscan:) we recently had a conversation-she has no idea the trends changed at all. She considers her home gorgeous as she did the day they bought it (and they were looking for three years-she wanted everything just so, so it's not like she doesn't have her preferences). She likes her dark stained cabinets, and busy granite, and travertine. So see, even if a person has strong opinions and tons of money-it's not necessarily that he'll know what's dated at all. Or care, for that matter. If she'd be looking to purchase now-well maybe she'd become influenced by what she'd see all around her in other high end homes. Or maybe not. I think she would be. She thinks she would be not:)

Thank you, april :) I so miss my kitchen and my house, especially since I'm back in a fixer upper now.

I actually still like the warm Tuscan style colors, although it's not my preference for my new home. Some may consider it "dated" but I still see it in pretty, not so old homes around here.

Your kitchen appears quite livable, not trendy but definitley workable. However, I do understand your dilemma. We bought our current house two years ago and it has pickled cabinets - we even have a wine theme backslash. The kitchen was the one area I was not crazy about, but I figured that eventually I would change it out. Due to some unexpected life changes we are now thinking of selling, looking for our forever home. Anyway, I am wondering if I should update the kitchen a bit. Although I have gone back and forth, I am thinking that I will leave as is because my house overall is a very nice, a lot of charm and I know from experience that the kitchen is acceptable. Many of the other homes in my area have older kitchens, some 60's original. What about the other homes that have been selling in your area, what are they like?? That is what I would be looking into.

jill302, if you hadn't have said "two years ago" I'd think you've just bought my kitchen lol. ah, even though the backsplash wasn't wine themed but more like olive oil themed?

I never liked the kitchen. Nothing against Tuscan if it's in Mediterranean home and done well-I mean Tuscan and not "Tuscan"..since I suspect it correlates to real Tuscan quite poorly, what many people were trying to do

I had no idea it was a trend. Didn't like pickled oak, busy granite, silly backsplash

Yet unlike you-I didn't even think to change it. It was inside of the house. It had a good layout. Wasn't offensive. The house had nice architecture(it was a Mediterranean), amazing layout..it was gracious, it made sense. Everybody loved it. People wouldn't want to leave. They would take photos for themselves..one friend videoed it and sent to her Mom..I didn't even have a chance to give permission lol. nobody cared about small outdated details. It was light and bright and gave a great feel. Some really liked the details I didn't . My Mom saw these fake olive oil motives and said:

-oh wow! that's was one of the reasons you chose the house right? so pretty!!

Hell no)))))

but my Mom comes to visit from real Mediterranean..we don't have this nonsense there lol. so it was new and pretty to her

And frankly-that was one of the best homes I've ever lived in. I felt so, so fortunate.

So no. I didn't upgrade the kitchen before selling. Yes I cleaned like crazy and we gel stained(trying to match the color exactly) the worn cabinets.

The feedback from the buyers was nothing I expected. They mostly were afraid of being too close to the pool. Never I could predict it-to me it was a vantage point. The pool! I can see the pool! Two steps and I'm at the pool!

Lol. To others, that was the main negative. being close to the pool.

together with that we still sold-took longer (election, winter, rains, bad photos..stupid staging lol..but it was pretty dead allover in our price range-bad timing)..we got two offers..the second one was the right one. such a smooth sale, such great non fussy reasonable buyers (i hope they thought the same of us))..we closed in 24 days, minimal repairs, association took care of half of them(attached condo. btw negative by itself-being a condo. and we're one of the best most upscale condo community around here). I'm happy the home went to someone who loved it. It calms me. Yes I'd love to get 10 K more-but the truth is our model was the smallest, and during the past two years only one model of our size sold for 10 K more-and they had a view, which we didn't (if you don't count the aforementioned pool..a pretty quaint one..but I understand, the buyers don't know, they don't live there unlike us). We raised the comps up for the whole community.

You never know what people will be actually apprehensive about. Well I didn't.

Hi,

Just in case you'd like to get an opinion of someone who's thinking about selling their starter home and buying a "move-up" home, I thought I'd chime in. If I saw your home listed with the kitchen painted white, I would be very interested in putting in a bid. Being in our mid-30s with young children, our lives a pretty much a blur. I'm not sure when we'd be able to schedule in the inconvenience of a full kitchen renovation (or even the inconvenience of painting the kitchen), but we can't really afford homes that are being sold with full remodels. But, at the same time, because we are on the younger side, we still want a kitchen that looks fresh and modern. Just having a freshly painted kitchen would feel like a breath of fresh air that I could live with for several years before we had the time/money to tackle a kitchen reno. But oak kitchens give me a sad feeling :(

..here was one of my passionate speeches I've decided to take down LOL. thank you for your understanding.

Postscript/Update. Thanks to all who took the time to post comments and even inspiration photos. They were so helpful. Last week we painted the oak cabinets and here are the afters. (The color of the lowers is a dark gray green, Behr Greywood. The uppers are a less yellow version of BM White Dove that the painter doctored. The island may look a bit more green due to lighting and the camera.) Still getting used to it but on the whole we think it makes the kitchen look bigger and more current. A buyer may still want to renovate but perhaps not so urgently. LOL. At least it's not the typical 90s oak kitchen anymore. Thanks again to all for your help and advice.

That looks great!

It looks very fresh and charming!

it's cute as a button..great choices. Did I mention that I love your light?

Very pretty! I love the way the painted cabinets makes your counters and wood floor look so much prettier and fresh :)

Great color choices!

What we found when selling our home last year, built in the mid-80s with major updates in 2000 when we bought it, was that nobody wanted to have to do anything! They wanted a home that looked like a new build for a price taking its almost 40 yr age into consideration. They wanted everything in it to be new and the house to look new. They either both worked and had no time or they didn't want to spend any $ other than sale price. We were in an affluent suburban bedroom community with younger buyers moving up the career ladder and whined about everything. It was a terrible experience.

pandtkendall I read your post and I suddenly thought that I myself want to look like a new..build lol. But without repeating all the experiences..))))

Looks great, and, yes, it looks like you have new floors and counters, too.