The Kitchen Appliance Mistake That's Hurting Your Home's Resale Value

Modern appliances are one of the most-wanted kitchen features that will boost your home's value. Explaining why they matter, Chris Colgan, a real estate expert, says in his exclusive interview with House Digest, "Buyers form an opinion about the kitchen within seconds, and appliances carry a lot of that weight." While the foremost criterion is that they should be in working condition, their color and overall appearance matter as well. This is because it'll impact your kitchen's aesthetics and influence your property's resale value or saleability. Listing the best-performing finishes, Colgan continues, "Stainless steel remains the most popular because it feels modern, clean, and adaptable to a wide range of kitchen styles. White appliances can also work, especially in bright spaces with lighter cabinetry, but they need the right design to pull it off."

Black is among the worst kitchen appliance colors you want to avoid in your home because it can make the room feel antiquated. Elaborating on the why, Colgan says, "Outdated or mismatched appliances can drag the whole room down, even if the cabinets or countertops are new." This could make potential buyers reluctant to invest in your house, increasing the time it takes for it to sell. Colgan agrees and adds, "While this doesn't usually translate to a massive drop in resale value, it impacts how fast the home sells and whether buyers start mentally calculating replacement costs. If buyers believe they'll need to budget thousands to update the appliances, they are more likely to either negotiate harder or move on to a property that already feels turnkey."

Although you might think that black devices will make your kitchen look modern, the truth is that the overall impact will depend on how well they suit the space. Colgan explains, "Black appliances don't automatically hurt resale value, but context matters," in his exclusive interview with House Digest. To illustrate, don't install them in cramped areas and expect a bold finish. That being said, they can work magic in a large kitchen that feels open and airy. "In smaller or darker kitchens, they can make the space feel closed off and heavy. In larger kitchens with a lot of natural light, they can look sleek and high-end," he shares.

However, even if the room's square footage justifies black devices, you might still face issues if buyers perceive them as outdated. Colgan notes, "The bigger issue is perception. If buyers associate black appliances with an older style trend, they may assume the whole kitchen is outdated and start thinking about upgrades. That perception can result in lower offers or requests for seller concessions." Basically, you'll have to contend with fewer offers or negotiate harder. So, what's a safe option? Colgan recommends stainless steel. "The benefit of switching isn't usually that the home will sell for significantly more, but that it will sell faster and with fewer buyer objections. In today's market, buyers lean toward kitchens that feel move-in ready, and stainless steel is the finish that checks that box most often." Don't have the budget for new devices? Turn your old kitchen appliances into sleek stainless steel showstoppers with paint.

Black isn't the only offending kitchen appliance color. "Older tones like almond, bisque, or avocado green almost always signal 'dated' to buyers," says Colgan in his exclusive interview with House Digest. Polarizing shades can also impact the number of offers you get. "Bold colors like bright red, blue, or yellow can feel too personal, making it harder for buyers to picture themselves in the space," Colgan explains, noting that "when buyers see these colors, many automatically assume a renovation is needed, even if the appliances function perfectly well."

Once they deem the room unfashionable, there's little you can do to change their mind. Consequently, interested buyers might go elsewhere or ask for concessions on the asking price. "That perception can be enough to turn some buyers away, or it can lead them to lower their offer to cover what they think they will spend on replacements." Even if you won't have to bear a loss of thousands of dollars, it'll still cost you dearly and put you on the back foot during negotiations.

So, if you're listing your home anytime soon and are worried about your kitchen appliances driving down its resale value, take the plunge and invest in stainless steel devices. "If the layout, cabinets, and countertops are solid, then swapping outdated appliances for new stainless steel models is often one of the best returns on investment before listing," advises Colgan. Mid-range appliances work, too. But if that's not possible, "... make sure [the] appliances are spotless and in working order. Even polishing surfaces, replacing missing knobs, or touching up scratches can help."