If you are thinking of selling your home, consider what a new paint job can do to help you sell faster and for more money. You most likely have heard all about “curb appeal,” which is how nice your home looks to a potential buyer who is just driving by or from the moment they pull up in front of your house. It is in your best interest to have your home as clean and tidy as possible. It is prudent to cut back any overgrown trees or shrubs, remove clutter, maintain a well-kept lawn, clean your windows, conceal trash, and add some exterior décor touches to brighten up your yard and entry.
Next, we would recommend getting rid of any chipped or peeling paint, dirt, and mildew. If you can have your home power-washed or “soft” washed, that will remove most dirt and stains from the exterior and brighten things considerably. If your exterior is faded or done in colors either not considered neutral or perhaps in a color that was once on-trend but maybe isn’t as much anymore, it is a really good idea to get a fresh coat of paint in some neutral shades such as whites, beiges, grays, and blacks. Homes done in neutral shades tend to sell faster.
How to Make the Colors More Neutral
In the photo sample above you can see in the before picture that the siding is done in a light gray, with a darker gray on the trim, and a plum color on the doors and shutters. Plum is not everyone’s choice for an exterior home color, but some do like it, and you may have this on your home. Also, the dark gray on the trim makes the house feel smaller, especially when used with the plum color. When you look at the after photo you can see that you can leave the light gray on the siding, paint the trim white, and paint the front door and shutters a darker gray for contrast, and the house looks bigger and brighter. It has received a huge bump in curb appeal.
In the second set of photos, you can see a kitchen shown in the before with white cabinets, yellow walls, white trim, and gray accents on the tiered tray ceiling. A lot of people like a sunny yellow kitchen, but not everyone does. When people are looking at homes, they need as much of a blank slate as possible. They want to envision what the house would look like as their own, and it is easier to do when it has been painted with a neutral palette. When you look at the after pictures, you can see the same kitchen, same white cabinets and trim, but it now has antique white on both the walls and the ceiling accents. The room looks larger, cleaner, and is easy to imagine with any type of décor and accent pieces in it.
If your home is already done in neutrals, you can often get away with one coat of new paint to freshen and brighten up the space. Also consider removing any wallpaper, as this is a time and labor-intensive project for new homeowners any many are not looking for papered walls. Unpapered walls with a fresh coat of paint will make your home feel “move-in ready” to a new buyer, and that is a big plus in a competitive market. So, take pause before listing your home for sale and consider how you can improve your selling position by painting or having your home professionally painted first.
If you live in Phoenixville, Devon, Radnor, Berwyn, Villanova, Merion Station, , Newtown Square, West Chester, or surrounding areas, give us a call to discuss how we can help improve your curb appeal and get your home ready to sell!