I have visited a lot of homes since I have been with Re/Max Houston over the past 20 years. I've been selling Houston real estate now since 1981. For most of these years, I have been advising homeowners on the proper “staging” of their home in order to facilitate a sell. Heck, back in the dark ages, staging was not even in our vernacular. If memory serves me, we called it, “Hey lady, you need to do something with your home if you want to sell it.” Staging sounds much more professional.

During this time, there have been a number of hot button trends that have come and gone with time. I should say, with the passing of decades. With another of my landmark birthdays on the horizon, let me just say that trends come and go. A wise seller and Realtor will be in tune with these trends if they want to maximize the value of their property much less sell it as well.

For example, in the 1980's, new carpet was a must for the proper staging of a home for sale in Houston, TX. That orange or green shag carpet from the previous decade just had to go. Peace, love and Jimmie Hendricks lives, but not if they wanted to sell their home. It was time to move on, tune in and change the carpet. Oh! That butcher block laminate kitchen counter was to die for. Try to sell a production built home in Houston then without butcher block. Forget it!

The early 1990's was all about tile. Just install tile on the floor, the counters, bathtub, walls and even the front porch and you were all set. Ok, a little wood flooring here and there could not hurt either. Now, that was staging, 1990's style.

Today, one of the significant hot-button trends are kitchen counters. What Re/Max Houston professional doesn't hear daily, “Is there granite in the kitchen,” the buyer asks? Your home in Katy, Texas or Sugar Land for example, needs to have four bedrooms, a game room or media room and it would be really great if it had granite kitchen counters. While granite seems to be the soup de jour, granite is not the only game in town. In fact, you might be surprised what countertop still reigns at the top of the heap.

As you can imagine, homeowners have a plethora of kitchen counter options. Have small children? You might prefer a counter that be cut, eat, spill, and even do homework on. Ok, is has to look good too and it must fit into the family budget. Just keep in mind, when marketing a home in the Houston real estate market, the appearance of the kitchen is very important today. A nice countertop can add pizzazz to your kitchen and facilitate a sell. So, here is the “low down” on the current “up town” kitchen countertops.

When touring homes, buyers are quite surprised to find lovely stone backsplashes and—laminate counters? That's right! Hold on to your hat because laminate, not stone is still the most common material used for kitchen counters. Laminate tops are inexpensive, durable, come in an array of colors and are easy to install. Did I mention less expensive. Manufacturing technologies have improved the appearance providing a variety of looks. Many production builders in the greater Houston real estate market still rely on laminate counters to keep their costs down. You want granite? Well, here is your upgrade price.

Fifteen years ago, granite was still somewhat of a rarity. Today, due to greater availability and an increased number of fabricators, granite tops are much more common and more affordable. On the average, the retail price of a typical granite countertop will run about $30.00 to $35.00 a square foot installed. A little more exotic granite could cost about $80.00 a square foot installed. Granite is available in many colors. Since each piece of granite is unique, it is important to visit the fabricator to select the exact slabs you would like to use. Granite requires little maintenance, but you must be careful with unsealed granite being damaged by hot grease. Granite is usually installed by a professional.

Engineered stone, such as “Corian” and “Silestone,” combine the beauty of natural stone and the functional benefits of a solid-surface material. They are composed of a blend consisting of crushed natural stone bound together with synthetic materials. They are non-porous countertops, difficult to stain and have excellent scratch resistance qualities. These products are typically installed by authorized contractors of the manufacturer which can increase the cost of installation. The retail price of these engineered stone products can run about $55.00 a square foot and more. A natural stone such as granite can actually cost less depending on which stone you select.

Acrylic and polyester tops such as the old cultured marble that is installed in many bathroom counters, are available now in hundreds of different colors and textures. They are non-porous which makes them excellent for food preparation. They can be formed into many shapes and sizes. Correctly installed, these products appear seamless as well unlike laminate. If burned or scratched, the damage can usually be buffed and sanded out. They are durable products, and they typically should be installed by a trained professional.

Of course, there is always tile. Tile now comes in a huge variety of colors, materials and prices. Tile does offer great design flexibility too. Granite, porcelain and glazed tiles are the least porous and work well in the kitchen environment. Marble, unglazed clay and limestone tiles are softer and more absorbent. These products are best used for bathrooms. With tile, grout is part of the equation. The proper grout material and color must be selected with the appropriate tile.

It's now decision time. As a homeowner, what kitchen counter do you install that adds value, looks nice and will facilitate a sell in the future? Oh, it must fit your pocketbook too. If we have learned anything, the answer can depend upon what decade you decide to sell your home. Today, the smart choice is probably with granite based on demand, cost and appearance. In 2010 however, it's anyone's guess. Best recommendation: install and enjoy. You are the one who has to live there now. If you have the right home in a good location, a buyer in the future will still buy your home, even if aluminum foil is the product of choice. Trends, after all, come and go.