Should I Paint My House Before Selling It?

Exterior House Painted Trim - CT Painter

exterior paint, professional painting CTReal estate insiders have shared some helpful secrets regarding painting before selling your home. It’s a valid question, whether or not painting has a good return on investment. Besides being a financial commitment, painting involves planning and valuable time. Exterior and interior painting can create a certain amount of inconvenience, as well. There are plenty of reasons to want to avoid painting, though it’s not always feasible to do so. The following are some helpful tips from realtors that will help you decide to paint or not to paint.

The Impact of Exterior Walls

What if a glance at a home for sale were a deciding factor for buyers? There is actually no “what if” about it. When buyers look at a house, the impression they get is conclusive regarding whether they look further. In a way, the condition of the paint tells an appealing or a depressing story.

Situation: If your home hasn’t been painted for 20 years, it tells buyers a new paint job is needed immediately. Their estimate on the cost is typically blown up way out of proportion, which completely shuts down buyer interest.

Solution: Hire professionals to freshen up the paint job on your home. Choose colors that pop but at the same time blend in with the homes all around. Although the colors should be fresh, don’t go with something somewhat unusual (odd) unless it happens to match the neighborhood perfectly.

Situation: If potential buyers see that the material on your home, such as brick or vinyl, needs infrequent painting but looks tired, wave goodbye. A dingy exterior inspires such a low level of interest, they decide to look around more rather than go inside.

Solution: Call a professional to give your home a thorough pressure wash. This seemingly simple procedure does wonders, making a house look bright and clean. If the exterior trim also needs livening up, have some fresh paint added or do it yourself.

The Impact of Interior Walls

If buyers venture inside of your home, you could still lose them after they see the condition of your interior walls.

Situation: The paint is peeling on your interior walls or there is other damage. Buyers conclude that you haven’t properly maintained your home and they skip the full tour to shop elsewhere.

Solution: Do all touch-ups and full re-paint jobs needed to ensure that your interior walls make a good impression on potential buyers.

Situation: You have wallpaper chosen to your taste or there are unusual, perhaps bold, paint colors. The buyers don’t share your appreciation for the wallpaper or personalized interior shades. They decide it’s too much hassle to deal with it removing wallpaper or adding multiple coats of paint as a cover-up for an imposing paint color.

Solution: Invest in getting all interior walls painted a neutral color. Buyers need a clean slate that allows them to imagine their own furniture in the home.

Return on the Investment of Painting

Exterior House Painted Trim - CT Painter

Yes, painting has a good return on investment in the vast majority of cases. It’s entirely reasonable to expect that your property value will increase and your home will more quickly sell because of fresh paint inside and out, if it’s needed.

If you need your home painted, interior and/or exterior, contact our trained and skilled professionals. They will give your home the needed boost, and the job will be done with minimal inconvenience to you.

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