Should I Repaint My House Before Selling?

Selling a home can be both exciting and stressful, and it can be hard to decide on what projects to prioritize. A project that should be at the top of your list when considering what needs to be done is painting. Repainting the interior and/or exterior of your home is one of the most cost-effective methods to enhance its value and reduce the time it spends on the market. Before deciding, it's essential to evaluate whether your house needs to be repainted.

Do your wall colors appeal to the largest number of potential buyers?

Bold paint colors can personalize a home, but when selling a house the goal is to remain as neutral as possible and appeal to the widest array of potential buyers. Neutral paint colors throughout a home can make it feel more open and coherent. Earthy tones like beige, light gray, and shades of white are unoffensive and will offer sellers a competitive edge in a crowed market. We want your house to effectively be a blank canvas, allowing buyers to envision themselves living in their new home.

What shape are your walls in?

Scuffed hallways from raising children, flakey paint on bathroom ceilings from hot showers, and cracking caulk on the wood-work makes a house look run down. A fresh coat of paint on your trim and doors will go a long way to making your house look well maintained. Cracking caulk should also be addressed before painting the wood-work as well. You may have noticed the flaky paint on your bathroom ceiling, and potential buyers will too. These areas will need to be scraped, mudded, and primed before painting. When it comes to painting over scuffs or scratches you will need to paint the whole wall. Spot touch ups rarely work, and unless you have the original paint used for the recent painting project, you will end up with a wall that looks uneven and spotty. Nicks, dents, and old picture frame nail holes can also be repaired during the painting process which is another reason to have your walls repainted.

First impressions are everything.

Painting the exterior of your home can significantly influence a buyer's first impression as soon as they pull into the driveway. If it's been more than five years since you've had the exterior of your home painted, you may want to consider having it done. Faded and peeling paint is not the way to present one of your largest investments to a prospective buyer. However, you might not necessarily need a full paint job. If the paint is in good condition, a gentle power-washing could be all your home needs to look new again.

Return on investment.

Of all the ways you can remodel your house, painting offers the highest return on investment when putting it up for sale. Upgrading bathroom fixtures or kitchen cabinets is a long, expensive, and invasive process, especially when the finishes may not be the style a potential buyer likes. Repainting a home is different, it can be done quickly, leaving it looking and smelling fresh, significantly influencing how buyers perceive the overall condition of the property.

Improves your online marketing.

In the modern real estate landscape, potential homebuyers begin their search online. Showcasing a freshly painted home in marketing materials can significantly enhance its online presence. A well-painted house will give you a competitive edge when staging for listing photos. Without a recent paint update, your home might appear dated or lackluster online. Repainting your walls and ceilings not only updates the overall look but also presents a cleaner and brighter appearance, both online and in-person.

Should you work with a professional house painting company?

Small touch ups like one wall in a room here and there or a few chips in the trim can be done by the home owner if they have experience and feel up to it. But if there are multiple rooms that need painting, cracking caulk in the wood-work, or it's an exterior paint job it's best to hire a professional. Professional painters have an eye for detail, and those details will be noticed by home buyers—especially when comparing your house to the others they've been looking at.

Some of our favorite neutral colors for interior walls:

1. Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray is a warm gray with a beige undertone.

2. Sherwin Williams Gossamer Veil is a cool mist gray neutral.

3. Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige is a beige, with undertones of gray.

4. Sherwin Williams City Loft is a warm off-white with beige undertones.

5. Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray is a beautiful soft cool gray.

6. Benjamin Moore Jute has a delicate balance of gray and brown.

7. Benjamin Moore Pashmina is balanced between warm and cool, light and dark.

Tips for getting the most out of your interior paint job

• Consistency: Keep a consistent color palette throughout the home for a cohesive feel.

• Light and Bright: Choose colors that reflect light, making spaces feel larger and more inviting.

• Neutral Appeal: Aim for neutral tones that allow potential buyers to envision their own style in the home.

• Consider the Market: Be aware of regional preferences and current design trends in your area.

• Avoid Touch Ups: 95% of the time touch ups will leave your walls looking blotchy and uneven. Paint the whole wall.

• Use A Low Sheen: for flawed walls, use matte finish paint. When walls have imperfections the lack of sheen in a matte paint will make a wall look smooth and even.