When Selling Your Home - Paint Can Make All The Difference

Paint or Not – Then What Color?

A coat or two of paint can transform your home, both outside and inside. But if you’re selling your house is it a good idea to paint; and if so what paint colors should you choose?

Generally real estate agents agree that painting a home for sale is a good idea. But they also warn against taking anything but a conservative approach. While you might love bold, bright paint colors, or want to look as if you are aware of current trends in terms of paint colors, you should try and stick to neutral hues that will appeal to a larger audience. If you can choose trend-setting paint colors that are neutral, you’ll be on a winning streak.

Current Color Trends to Consider When Painting a Home for Sale

Benjamin Moore Paints suggests four exciting paint color palettes for 2013.

1. Artisan Paint Colors in this palette include off-white (Monterey white), sand (pittsfield buff) and a hazy grey (sea haze) as well as a dark charcoal grey (silhouette) and tan-type brown (satchel). The off-white and “sea haze” grey are safe if you’re a seller wanting to transform your home; the others might be a bit heavy though the buff paint color could work in a large room.
2. Urbanite Paint Colors in this color palette also range from off-white (moonlight white) to a dark hue, but blue rather than charcoal (polo blue). There’s camouflage beige (called camouflage), sparrow brown (called sparrow) and a golden color (marblehead gold) too. Camouflage and moonlight white are safe, while the darker colors may not have the same wide appeal.
3. New Traditional Relatively safe neutrals – a pearly beige (seapearl), light rock color (rocky road) and light gold (golden straw) hue – have been teamed with more adventurous dove blue (evening dove) and a dusty pink (called dusky mauve). The blue and pink aren’t safe, even if you love these paint colors.
4. Coastal These paint colors were inspired by the sea, sky and sea, but again only the off-white (simply white) and paler grey (tranquility) hues are really safe if you are painting a home for sale. While the lemon yellow (lemon sorbet) is cheerful and the grayish (van Courland blue) quite quiet, there’s no guarantee they will appeal across the board. The blue-green (Stratton blue) included in the palette is also pretty, but not if you are aiming to transform your home for somebody you don’t know.

When choosing any color, try to keep the same feeling through out the entire home.  Don't do a few rooms coastal and others beige.  Stay consistent and match the style and architecture of the home.  Keep it clean, simple and neutral.  Neutral doesn't have to be beige and boring, just consistent and soothing to the eye.

If you are considering selling and would like some expert advice before you dive in and start painting, call our Team at Lisa Southern Real Estate.  We would be happy to come out and give you some advice and options to get the greatest return on your time and money.  We also have a large list of preferred vendors who can make the job a snap and save you some money.