Southern Ave. Realty

Thinking about buying a home soon? Don’t forget to practice home goal-setting so you can go into the process, confident about what you want! (It’s easy to get distracted by the glamour of real estate when you don’t have a focus!)

1️⃣ Write out your goals – what’s your long-term and short-term plan?

2️⃣ Create a needs list – what are some non-negotiables?

3️⃣ Create a budget – what is a price you can realistically pay?

4️⃣ Edit needs list – refine your needs list as you go — you may find some on your original list aren’t non-negotiables after all!

5️⃣ Research neighborhoods – location is SUPER important so make sure you’re looking at homes in a neighborhood you feel at home in!

It’s rare to see a kitchen with wood countertops, which can make it a beautiful addition to your home! Before you start installing wood in your kitchen, though, here are some pros and cons you want to consider:

PROS:
🪵 Their appearance – they give any room a certain warmth that can’t be achieved by many countertop materials.

🪵 Variety – there are many types of wood AND patterns to choose from! From cherry to birch to maple to grain planks to panels, you can choose one that best fits the vibe of your home.

🪵 Warmth – not only does wood give off a warm and inviting look to your home, but it is also literally warmer to the touch than most other materials.

🪵 Recyclable – wood countertops are slowly transitioning to be made out of reclaimed wood. Plus, most are recyclable. So if you’re an environmentalist, this can be an eco-friendly way to go!

CONS:
🪵 They need extra care, especially when sealing – if a wood countertop isn’t sealed, germs can hide and multiply.

🪵 Water damage – though you can prevent water damage from happening with mineral oil or some other similar protectant, it can still happen and damage your countertops.

🪵 Scratch and denting issues – wood is a soft material, so it can easily get damaged. Sometimes distress can give it character, but not always. Always use cutting boards on wood countertops to prevent this.

Now that you know some of the pros and cons, what do you think about wood countertops in your home? Is it something you’d consider or is it a hard pass for you?