Do you live in a buyers’ or sellers’ market? That seems like an awful lot of expense for a kitchen that looks fine. I would rather sell for a lower price than put that kind of money, effort, and living disruption into something you will not use and enjoy for long.

I would consider two things in the following order.

1. Is the finish on the floor worn and needing attention? If so, would a screen and recoat improve them enough?

2. If I replaced any counter...but not sure it is needed....I might consider making the island one level and putting on a coordinating/matching stone or quartz.

Take down the curtains, clean until it sparkles and call it good. Do not make changes that the new owners will end up tearing out. Your kitchen looks good!

We do have under cabinet lighting! I forget to ever turn it on!

I don’t know if it’s a buyers or seller market, but the realtor wants it to have the look of a top-dollar (in our area that’s $1.5M) house when it’s a 14 year old house (we will be asking less, of course). I get the idea, but I’m not sure I want to put out the cash to do it.

Would you ever paint the island white but keep the dark granite? Or anyone have pendant or hardware suggestions??

Good gracious, that would be a lot of $$, not to mention time! And to be functioning without a kitchen while you're trying to do everything else! It's one thing if the kitchen is in shambles, but This is Not the case!

I would take the curtain down as suggested, spiffy up the floor if there are areas that need attention and possibly paint. Making the kitchen and other visible open areas the same neutral color throughout will give a sense of cohesiveness, if they are different.

If you wanted, maybe exchange the more modern pendant with an alabaster, traditional look one, if this goes with the 'style' of the home.?

Let the new owners put their own spin on it.

Get a different realtor.

Wow, your realtor is suggesting a lot of big, expensive changes and you likely won't recoup the full cost of these changes. I'm not a realtor and I don't know your market but I don't see the need. It's a nice looking kitchen. Did you ask why your realtor feels these changes are absolutely necessary? Is it to boost his/her commission and to make the sale go more quickly? Or does he/she feel that your home won't sell without the changes?

If you do anything beyond a thorough cleaning and removing the valance, as suggested above, replace the slab backsplash with a tile backsplash. You can get nice looking tile for not a lot of money plus a light colored tile will brighten the kitchen. The potential hiccup, though, is that because you or POs installed a slab backsplash, which is thicker than tile, the fabricators may not have scribed the counter to the wall as carefully as they would for a tile backsplash. The slab backsplash may be hiding a gap between counter and wall that is too large to cover with a tile backsplash. Did you install the counter and backsplash? Do you recall or do you have photos that would help you determine if this will be an issue?

Definitely don't paint the cabinets. Stained cabinets are coming back in style plus a cheap paint job will make them look cheap and a good paint job costs a lot of money.

Good luck with your sale!

"... the realtor wants it to have the look of a top-dollar..."

I didn't see the above comment before I posted. You definitely can't go with a cheap cabinet paint job in that case so that update is going to cost $$, quite possibly as much as or more than replacing the counters would cost. I stick with my above statement: don't paint the cabinets. I think you can do other updates for less money to give your kitchen a top dollar look without painting the cabinets.

Are you willing or can you afford to spend $$ knowing that you won't recoup 100% of the update costs when you sell? Ask your realtor if he/she can give you an estimated percentage of return on update costs so you can decide whether it's a wise expenditure. There may be a sweet spot between doing nothing and doing it all that makes the best financial sense for you.

You're not going to get "top dollar" in your neighborhood as your cabinets and kitchen, even though only 14 years old, looks dated. Painting them will not help and doing all the other things, well..they will just be thrown out when the new owner guts the kitchen. New owner won't want to pay for your "spruce up" either.

I'd seriously consider looking for another realtor. This one is leading you down the path to serious disappointment.

Perhaps I wasn’t clear ... the realtor is not proposing a cheap spruce up. I have a bid from a reputable contractor and designer to stain the floors, replace the counters, sink and backsplash and professionally paint the cabinets and change out the hardware, but it’s expensive.
After that, I’m confused about how the kitchen would look “dated” per the comment above, but I am not a designer. It’s a city house and the layout can’t really be changed. By top dollar, I was referring to the layout of our house if it were new, the actual “top dollar” in my area could be much higher if I had a wider home.
The realtor is convinced that whatever put in will get at least double our money back. I am not convinced, which is why I’m seeking thoughts here. :)

Seems like the consensus is not to paint the cabinets or do other costly and disruptive updates. Price it fairly and it will sell, then the new owner will gut kitchen and start from scratch. Only you can decide what you are comfortable doing.

Agree with all the others not to bother on any of that. I would ditch those barstools and stage with something lighter and less dated looking. Maybe repaint and ditch that pale green.

"The realtor is convinced that whatever put in will get at least double our money back."

Can the realtor show you recent sales where the owners did as he/she is suggesting and they recouped 200% of what they spent? If he/she can, then what we think is immaterial. But if he/she can't, you have good reason to be skeptical.

"... I’m confused about how the kitchen would look “dated” ..."

The cabinet doors' arched detail date your kitchen. Painting them won't magically transform them to the currently preferred Shaker door style. Slab backsplashes using the same material as the counter are also less trendy, which is one reason why I suggested replacing it with a tile backsplash.

But honestly, your kitchen is quite nice, it looks to be good quality, it looks functional and is a decent size ... in short, it's a kitchen that most of us could cook in without a problem. We've definitely seen much worse on this forum.

Have you signed a contract with this realtor? If not, do you fell comfortable seeking the advice of another realtor, perhaps finding someone whose opinion you have more faith in?

Look, I’m not a realtor or an interior designer. I think the kitchen looks really nice the way it is. I wouldn’t change a dang thing about it if I were selling. Is the amount of $$ you’d have to spend to do all those (imo unneeded) upgrades really going to be recouped in the selling price?? Kitchens are so personal and if someone wants to change something, let them do it themselves.

If I were buying, I think the cabinets are very nice and would hate to see them painted. I might change the counters to something lighter and do a nice tile backsplash. A few months ago, I bought a home that needed a full kitchen overhaul. I would have been thrilled to see this kitchen in a home I was interested in purchasing. Best of luck selling!

Assuming this is a sellers' market, I would:

- Replace pendants diy ($300)

- paint walls ($100) (only if that green is only in the kitchen - if it's throughout the house, and the rest of the house is decorated circa 2005, then not worth it)

- new backsplash ($2000)

- new countertop ($4000?). And while you're at it, convert the island to a single level, which should cost much if you're also taking out the countertop

- new stools ($500

- remove curtain (free)

- apply the bona floor refinisher on exposed area of hardwood throughout the house, without removing carpets. ($20)

If a sellers' market, I think spending $8000 on kitchen updates would probably get 100% or more recouped, and more importantly, sell your house more quickly. And frankly, if I'm a buyer looking at $1m+ homes (in any part of the country), I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that a seller would have spent $10k or more getting the house up to snuff. So i don't think this is a crazy amount to spend.

Painting the cabinets is a disastrous idea, which is almost as expensive as new cabinets and/or ends up looking cheap. Painting the island would look horrendous in this kitchen -- slapping a 2015 trend on a 2005 kitchen, and would just highlight the fact that the kitchen isn't new. And certainly don't bother re-doing the floors. If it's a buyers' market, i wouldn't do anything.

You have a nice kitchen that would not limit your offers at the right price point, but there are several other things the realtor is not suggesting you change that date your kitchen. That is why so many people suggest not doing everything your realator wants you to do. You will have spent a good chunk of money and may not recoup all that you spent if potential buyers want to do a total update.

In addition to the arched, raised panels doors, countertop/backsplash, the two-tiered island, staggered-height upper cabs, sink jut-out, and microwave above the cooktop (even though it might be the best place in the current kitchen layout) are elements that would probably change in a gut remodel.

Have you only talked to one realator? It would be interesting to see what someone else has to say about your home price, kitchen as it basically is, and an extensive kitchen update.

Good luck on your sale!

HI! I would at least repaint the walls, new barstools and pendants, lose any window treatments, clear EVERYTHING off the counter (like utensil caddy, knife block, canister, all bric a brack, paper towel..) and leave 1 small appliance. I would be inclined to do undercabinet lights versus change the counter and backsplash (assuming cheaper to do).