When it comes to getting our house in order, the kitchen is truly the heart of the home, according to new research from Halifax Estate Agents.

Over one quarter of respondents (27%) stated a new, modern fitted kitchen as the home improvement most likely to make a house appeal to any potential new buyers. This was followed by fuel efficiency and energy saving features (14%), an extension or extra rooms (11%), central heating improvements (10%) and new windows or double glazing installations (8%.)

Top Five Home Improvements Most Likely To Appeal to Buyers
1. New kitchen (27%)
2. Fuel efficiency and energy saving measures (14%)
3. An extension/ extra room (11%)
4. Central heating improvements (10%)
5. New windows/ double glazing (8%)
Source: Halifax Estate Agents

The kitchen, along with the bathroom, was also voted the room that homeowners would most like to change, with one fifth (19%) respectively saying that they would like to modernise and revamp these rooms. Women would prefer a new kitchen (22%), with men preferring a new bathroom (19%). The master bedroom and sitting room (both at 12%) were ranked in third place.

The kitchen was also considered to be the second most important room in the house amongst one fifth of respondents (19%.) The sitting room or lounge topped the polls amongst two thirds (61%) of home owners.

Buyers First Impressions
However, when it comes to creating an essential first impression, it is the exterior of the house that tops the polls amongst half of respondents (50%), with a kitchen in fifth place at 7%. The size of rooms in a house were ranked in second place (10%), followed by the availability of gardens and the overall size of the home at 9%.

For those home owners looking to move home (within the next two years), the exterior of the house again fell into the top spot of creating the best first impression, followed by the size of rooms at 15%, kitchen and lounge/ sitting room both at 10% and the availability of a garden at 8%.

And the essentials…
When it comes to the factors of a house that are considered to be essential, desirable or undesirable and are therefore likely to influence a purchase decision, a bathroom (89%) was considered to be the most essential feature followed by a toilet (84%) sitting room/ lounge and central heating (both at 81%.)

Home owners over the age of 65 put more emphasis on central heating (86%), having a garden (81%) and fuel efficiency and energy saving measures (73%.)

Asked what features they would find desirable but not essential, an en-suite bathroom was the most popular choice (53%), followed by a conservatory (52%), utility room (47%), study and loft conversion (39% respectively). Again, the older generation of over 65s gave a higher emphasis to a greenhouse as this was considered essential or desirable to half of them (49%).

Gordon Edwards, managing director of Halifax Estate Agents comments: “Our research shows that most people are influenced by the kitchen when buying a house. However, you don’t need to spend thousands on these rooms when trying to sell. Simple measures like decluttering and keeping a room clean and tidy will make your home more attractive to potential buyers.”