The Right Paint Can Sell Your House

When I was a Real Estate agent & Home Stager back in 2007 BC (Before Crash) I learned very quickly that not all people like to paint or choose paint colors, in fact a great many people are paralyzed by it. Of course, this was before Pinterest and Houzz really became the rage. During the my tenure showing houses, I was so amazed that people would NOT even consider buying a home that:

• Had not been painted and was in need of Color; or
• Had a bold color that was not desirable (i.e. Red or Burgundy), or (even worse yet)
• The trim had to be painted!!

One or more of these items seemed to be a deterrent for the potential buyer, and we would move on to the next home to view.

Having owned a paint store for the past 18 years, I couldn’t believe that people would not buy a house if it had all or some of these paint issues, I thought the paint part was easy, I was intimidated by the landscaping!

Choosing the right paint colors should be enjoyable and exciting. You want to be proud when you enter the driveway, but we all have differing perceptions about color and what makes us happy, so if you are absolutely not selling you can paint whatever color makes you happy INSIDE. However, keep in mind it may need repainting if you list. If there is a possibility that you may be selling, it is a good idea to choose colors that will “appeal to the masses” just in case you find yourself in a situation that you need to sell and move very quickly. You do not want to be in a situation that extends the amount of time your are on the market and too many potential buyers have passed on your home.

As for the exterior you can’t afford to take a chance on what you particularly like color wise because that pleasing color will change outside. Any paint color that has yellow or red oxide in the formula can be accentuated with the sun shining onto it and become way too bold. These types of mistakes may affect anyone even including your house on their list to view. Exterior painting is a huge expense and one you do not want to make a mistake. When in doubt, hire a color consultant, they will see the eventual outcome and be able to be objective with no preconceived notions of color preferences and make the combination work for your particular home keeping in mind the homes surrounding yours. Creating a color palette inside based upon your lighting, and furnishings will surely make a difference. Having the colors coordinate shows it was well thought out and the ability for that potential buyer to be able to see themselves in the space with their furnishings increases dramatically.

Freshening up your paint (especially trim) shows buyers your home is well cared for and clean, if you have moved out already, patching nail holes and touching up the paints shows the buyer they will not HAVE to repaint right away, unless they just choose a totally different scheme.

I have never been a fan of one neutral color throughout, I hear more often from clients that my past color consultations have been a huge factor in selling their home quickly. Hence my point: Paint Can Sell a House (but make it the right paint)!