Ideas for Kitchens

Potential buyers see the kitchen as the most important room in the house when viewing a property, and it can secure or lose you a sale on its own.

A kitchen should match the style of the house - modern with chrome and stainless steel for a loft-style apartment, or wood and an Aga for a traditional country home, although, there are also many neutral kitchen designs that look equally well in either.

However, it isn't usually worthwhile forking out for a new kitchen to sell your house, unless it's really appalling and completely beyond redemption. A lot can be done to smarten up a tired kitchen, including:

• First and foremost - make sure it's absolutely clean from top to bottom
• Clear your countertops - pack away that breadmaker, sandwich toaster, and other non-essential items to create a spacious looking kitchen with acres of workspace
• Pack away as much as you can. Buyers want to know there will be enough room for their things, and if they see your cupboards are crammed full of "stuff", they will not get the feeling of plentiful storage space