I'd get some input from local kitchen designers first. I've cut tops like yours down and I've made tops all one level, but I've never seen someone go from flat to raised yet. It may be going out of fashion.

If you do it, remember that although your wall isn't bearing any roof loads, it will be structural. Avoid the metal partition studs, please. And figure out how the raised bar area will be supported on paper first.

In our area, the push is for doing away with raised bars (as mentioned above). However, we kept ours (raised bar) as it serves as a necessary room 'divider' in an otherwise open-concept first floor.

Maybe your real estate person is trying to tell you to de clutter. And the only way he can get that across is to tell you to hide stuff behind a raised bar.

He’s wrong about the raised bar. It won’t hide anything.

Declutter. Then do it again. Then clean and clean again. The first thing anyone thinks when they see a scent pot is what pet smell are they trying to hide.

Nothing wrong with the counters either. They suit the home. Putting shiny new stone on top of 30 year old cabinets does not increase resale value.

Thanks for the input. I think we are going to leave it alone and just put a new counter top.

The raised bar might actually make good sense in some layouts (can't tell on yours) but I agree that in general single-level counters are much more up-to-date.

(For example, if your kitchen sink is visible from the front door, raise it!)