Appliance.com

Expert Advice from Real Estate Agent Mark Nadler Walk into any new or renovated high-end home in our area and be prepared to see some state-of-the-art appliances.

Mark Nadler is the president of Prudential Centennial Realty, one of the largest residential real estate brokerage companies in Westchester County, NY (20 miles north of Manhattan). He has more than 23 years of experience in real estate brokerage, and has appeared as a guest on NY television shows as well as being quoted in the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and Journal News newspapers. He can be reached at 914/723-5225.

With home prices appreciating tremendously in recent years, expectations have risen as well in the kitchen. Home buyers now want to see large, bright kitchens with center islands, lots of granite countertops, suspended range hoods, and of course, high-end appliances.

Franke sinks, huge Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezers, six to eight burner Viking ovens, and Bosch dishwashers tend to be popping up all over. As a real estate professional, I am seeing more streamlined, cleaner looks with built-in dishdrawers, built-in wine coolers, or track lights all within comfortable conversation distance with the guests who might be gathering in the kitchen or an adjoining family room. Of course, large windows and or doors looking out over a beautiful yard can only add to the beauty of the kitchen.

With today’s technology, you can hide the clutter in a kitchen with additional cabinets, facilitate food preparation with multiple sinks, and clean up with two dishwashers. Add a control center to a built-in stereo sound system with Satellite TV and sound, and no one will ever leave the kitchen. And with more entertaining taking place in the kitchen, quiet-sounding appliances and well-ventilated ovens become essential in any active household.

If you’re looking for extra nice touches, add a separate water supply by the oven for your pasta (is it fresh?) and a breadwarmer, and you can compete with Mama Leone’s. Let’s not forget the cappuccino machine and the wine cellar!

While dark colored granite counters and black appliances might be dramatic, they seem to be less popular when being re-sold.

Another piece of advice: keep your washer and dryer out of the kitchen.

I have yet to see any host or hostess doing laundry while entertaining their
company.

And there is one negative with all this kitchen beauty: it makes it harder to cook when your kitchen is filled with your friends. Well, there always is the caterer! More Editorials