Is It Smart to Finance Your Kitchen Remodel?
If you feel that your kitchen is in desperate need of a remodel and yet don’t have the money to pay for it outright, you may consider financing it. There are several ways to do this, through home equity loans, bank loans, contractor financing or credit cards.
The question is whether this is a financially wise course of action to take.First of all, you should realize that kitchen remodels can be expensive. Very expensive. Depending on how much work you want done and the quality of the materials and appliances you chose, it can cost many thousands. Short of building a whole new house, there is no more ambitious remodeling project than a kitchen. You need to ask yourself how large of a debt you are willing to take on for the sake of your kitchen. Can you afford an additional monthly payment on top of your other bills?On the other hand, an updated kitchen adds considerably to the value of your house. If you are planning to sell within the next few years, having a modern, attractive kitchen will increase your chance of selling quickly, and for a good price. For advice, talk to a local real estate agent who can let you know how much of your investment you can expect to get back. That will help you set prudent limits on your spending.One way of financing a kitchen remodel project is to apply for a renovation loan when refinancing your house. In this kind of an arrangement, you simply have the additional amount added to your existing mortgage during the process of having it refinanced. This minimizes your immediate financial obligations, as it spreads out the cost of the remodel over the course of your mortgage. On the other hand, it also means that by the time you actually have your kitchen paid off it will again be out of date and in need of renovation.
