Check with your agent.

In my market having all new appliances is a big factor. However, in specific higher end properties the buyer is likely to go in replace it with what they want anyway after closing. Your agent will be able to tell you the impact of the new appliances vs leaving the range. You may just want to replace the refrigerator and the two dishwashers if the range is still working. I know, I was no help at all!

has the kitchen been updated in the 15 yrs in which you lived there? If not, I probably would not buy new appliances; it's reasonable to think that the new buyers would want to update the kitchen and not having (and having paid for new appliances) gives them more options.

What if the potential buyer hates black appliances and would only want stainless? That's a lot to pay for something the buyer doesn't want. Maybe offer a credit or just reduce the price.

This is a high end 2M+ house and although personally, as a buyer, I would like to see all brand new appliances when touring a potential home, I might instead appreciate having an appliance credit where I could then purchase what I wanted.

Pictures? If everything still works? I don’t think replacing them is needed.

Count me as one of those who dislikes black appliances. Chane it all to stainless or don't do it at all.

It really depends entirely on the local real estate market, and your agent can best advise on that. As stated above, in some markets buyers would tear out the whole kitchen anyway. COunt me as another who dilikes black appliances and would want stainless. In that price range, you're more likely to have a buyer who wants to remodel, in which case replacing anything is a waste of money.

Ask your agent about it. But my opinion is that you don’t know what the future buyer will want. I don’t like black appliances, and I would want an induction cooktop, not a Viking range. You have no idea what people might want. You could acknowledge right up front that the fridge and dishwashers are broken (are they broken; or do you just think they look old?) and offer a cash appliance allowance. That way the buyer can decide what to get and whether or not they want a gas range or induction, and they can choose their own finishes.

Personally I have never done anything for resale. I also would not like black appliances and would prefer to do my own remodeling. How can you possibly know what a potential buyer wants or likes. Everyone has a different idea of what they like. I think it's a waste of time energy and money.

We bought a home 16 yrs old. Everything was original and none of the kitchen/appliances were what we wanted or any thing else for that matter. We got a 1 yr appliance insurance program which seems to be the norm here. I did use it to repair the entire refrigerator which I would not have done on my own dime and a couple of other things that were replaced under the warranty.. It buys me time until we remodel. The rest of the appliances are worn out as is everything else. We bought for Location Location Location.

I would not offer an appliance package or anything. Jeez it's not a new home and you're not the contractor. Let them bargain on the price if they feel the appliances/kitchen doesn't suit them.
You can then decide if it's something you want to do and go from there. Maybe I'm out of touch

Just my opinion.

Good luck in selling your home and getting the $$ you want.

Inga

Talk to your realtor. In many areas,a 15yo kitchen with new ,used appliances is no more a selling point than a 15yo kitchen with old,used appliances ...because the buyer is planning a full remodel.

I wouldn't replace anything unless they don't work. Talk to your realtor, and if you want, offer a cash credit to the buyer. Most are going to remodel anyway and would get whatever they preferred.

Get them repaired if they don’t work. Don’t replace. The next owner will view it as a redo anyway.

PS, your agent should know this but if appliances are all working, do not offer a credit for new appliances in the contract listing, but rather use that as part of a negotiation/counteroffer.

What's wrong, specifically, with the fridge and two dishwashers? Can they be repaired? In my area, a $2M house with a 15-year-old kitchen would probably get at least a partial kitchen remodel and buying any new appliances for showing would be a waste of seller's money.

The fridge has a broken ice maker and 3 cracked crisper drawers. I've priced out fixing ice maker and replacing the cracked drawers and it's around $1500. The fridge also has two smaller sized dents in the black paneling that cannot be repaired and new doors would also have to be replaced - that's if I can even find these doors when the fridge is 15 years old - the doors probably run around $1000 each. So I'm probably in the range of $4000+ to "cosmetically" fix this 15 year old fridge. The two dishwashers are working but have wood veneer panels that have become ruined from water/steam damage - I was going to get stainless steel dishwashers so I could throw away the ruined panels.

Everyone's advice has been so helpful. I thinks it's best to keep all the appliances as is and let a new buyer put in what they want but...

This leads to the next question, should I repair the damaged veneer paneling on the dishwashers? If I do then I have to redo the veneer paneling on the cabinets right next to the dishwashers since everything is book matched and the color of new veneer will not look like the rest of the veneer due to age and sun.

Maybe I should just leave everything as is and negotiate these items?

My 2 cents. Replace the two dishwashers with stainless units. They will detract from the overall look and condition.

The range has value. The fact that it has real unsealed gas burners is a selling feature for a real chef/foodie. Do a little research about this subject at the kitchen forum and you will discover that this has value for this segment of people. Thus, I would keep the appliance. The fact that it is black just gives the kitchen and overall character. If it doesn't match, it becomes a focal point.

It's a toss up on replacing the refrigerator. I wouldn't buy another Viking refrigerator, everyone hates them and they have a bad reputation. Either replace it with a Subzero with stainless doors or keep it, polish it and say nothing. People will ask for a credit if they notice the issues. You will be surprised that people won't even open it. Remove the icemaker if it's broken. Don't replace it. Icemaker's are troublesome and no one will be surprised that it doesn't work in a 15 year old appliance.

Save the money. Just make sure everything is clean and polished. Mixing stainless and black is fine. It doesn't have to be matchy matchy.

I completely agree with homechef59. Excellent strategy.

BTW, people who want new Subzero fridges want the one they want. They don't want someone else's choice.

Apple pie is absolutely correct. I will have a SubZero in our remodel but it will not be a french door which is all the rage right now. It would be a major turn off for me. So yes, everyone has a different idea of what they like. Let them decide. Have the house clean and orderly and everything else will fall in place.

Inga

Show the dishwasher damage. A local Furniture Medic franchise might be able to touch up and fix the damage. Even if there’s rot. It’s fixable. You’d be surprised at how little that would cost, and the kind of miracles that they can do. As long as they are functional.

The small fridge dents? Who cares. It’s not supposed to be new. The crisper drawers? Hairline cracks are fine if they work. If they are in pieces, replace the actually broken ones. They are functional if just hairline cracks though. The ice maker? That I would have repaired. And clean the insides of all, with a citric acid cleaner for the DW, and baking soda paste for the fridge.

The goal is super clean and functional. Not new. Not new components. Things physically work. That doesn’t mean that they can’t show 15 years of wear and tear. Let the new owner replace everything that they want to replace.

Then stage it by clearing the decks of clutter, and a place great tea kettle in a bright color, with towels to match, and a crock for utensils. Maybe a small rug in front of the sink.

COunt me as another who dilikes black appliances and would want stainless. In that price range, you're more likely to have a buyer who wants to remodel, in which case replacing anything is a waste of money.

Me too and one further point, to me NEW Viking appliances would be a huge negative because they have such a lousy reputation. I'd rather pay a few dollars less to get the appliances that will work for me and most likely in a million dollar plus house (not in CA), I'd most likely be updating the whole kitchen.

Agree 100% with home chef.

Like others have said, make sure the house is spotless including the counters. One or two items on the counters at most and preferably decorative. Make sure all cabinets are clean and not too filled up with stuff as you want the kitchen to appear to have lots of storage.

Put away all personal stuff. Once you put it on the market, it's no longer your house. Stop thinking of it as if it is. :)

I’m not sure that it’s absolutely necessary to put ALL personal things away before listing your house. I mean, you still (most likely) have to live there. But decluttering is definitely key. A few family photos here and there won’t be a big deal.They actually helped sell our last house as the buyers felt a personal connection with us. It sounds strange but we actually became friends in the process and keep in touch regularly. They let us bring the kids by to see their horses, etc.

However, less IS more. It just doesn’t have to be completely sanitized.

I would not spend a lot of money in the kitchen. The new buyers will redo to their liking anyway. The local Habitat store is full of NICE kitchen cabinets and appliances that are being gutted from multi-million dollar houses.

Our Florida house is up for sale. My real estate agent had a fantastic photographer come and take pictures. They wanted EVERYTHING put out of sight. After I approved the pictures the listing went live, I started packing everything with the exception of minimal stuff we need to live there. cpartist is right to let go it's not your house anymore. Once the sign goes up in the yard, all of your privacy is gone. Every neighbor on our street has done the virtual tour even though they have never been in our home.

Inga