Sweat Equity

When Jennifer McDavid purchased a brand new townhome two years ago she figured there would be lots of finishing options to choose from. Unfortunately, the best she was offered was a just a couple colors of boring builders grade materials. While Jennifer plans on living in her townhome for at least another five years, she's wise to think ahead about competing with similar townhomes in her area when it comes time to sell. The top project on her list is the kitchen. She wants to install granite countertops, update fixtures, change out the florescent lighting, add a tile backsplash, spice up the walls with paint and incorporate a decorative flair that her kitchen is missing. She also plans on extending hardwood flooring from the small entryway into the attached dining room and through the kitchen to create consistency. Jennifer is confident that with a budget of $9,000 and her knack for shopping she'll be able to make her cookie cutter townhouse stand out from the pack.