Sunday, May 23, 2021

What is it about "soft-close drawers"?

 I've noticed of late, there is one feature almost every buyer looks for, or tests in a house.  The kitchen drawers.  Soft-close drawers.  I'm not saying they don't care about other features.  But this one feature is consistently looked at; no matter the price or age of the house, no matter the demographics of the buyers.

Is it a proxy for other features of the house? If they have soft-close drawers does it also mean the house has heated bathroom floor, air conditioning, or a high efficiency furnace?  

Or are folks truly focused on just the soft-close drawer; the ease and lack of sound they offer?  Are they really that great? I don't have soft-close drawers, so perhaps have not yet been indoctrinated.

From a more utilitarian view, there are other things I see in a house, that often reveal more about the house.  If the house is a recent fix and flip, but is lacking the required smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, or seismic straps on the hot water heater, I can't help but wonder what else was neglected.  Similarly, during a home inspection, a horribly dirty furnace filter can indicate an overall lack of attention to maintenance. 

In valuing a house, I'll admit I don't factor soft-close drawers into pricing.  But I do think their presence makes buyers more apt to offer higher on a house. Who knew?

Is there a feature or a component of a house that provides deeper insight for you?

And in case you are thinking about adding soft-close drawers?  Here's a video from the folks at Rockler. 




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