=====[srform] You’ve decided it’s time to sell your home! Before calling your realtor, you’ll want to freshen up your house to attract buyers. O...
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You’ve decided it’s time to sell your home! Before calling your realtor, you’ll want to freshen up your house to attract buyers. One of the best ways to get people interested in your home is by repainting your interior and even the exterior. You want a prospective buyer to walk into your home and be wowed by the space!
Choosing the right colors will help transform your home, brightening a dark room, making a small room seem more spacious, all ensuring that you get a sold sign up faster. While figuring out what colors to pick can be overwhelming, I'm here to walk you through this process and help you choose the best paint colors to help you sell your house.
Are you ready to get started on painting your home before putting it on the market? Contact a painting contractor today for quotes from contractors in your area, for free.
Picking Paint Colors
When thinking about painting your home before selling, you want to keep the buyer in mind. Tina Nokes, owner of Five Star Painting of Loudoun and Western Fairfax VA, suggests painting in neutrals.
“Homeowners looking to sell should stay away from dark, deep or bold colors such as reds, dark browns, oranges, golds or any neon colors,” she said. “Prospective buyers are looking for a home that is move-in ready and usually these types of colors don't go with the furniture they have. That is why neutrals help sell a house because a buyer can imagine putting their things into the space right away and not have to paint until they are ready to.”
Here are the things to keep in mind when painting your home to put it on the market:
- Popular Neutral Paint Colors
- Exterior Paint Ideas
- Interior Paint Colors
- Interior Painting Costs
Popular Neutral Paint Colors
Neutral colors are anything but boring, they create the perfect canvas for you to showcase your home and will help new homeowners envision their life in your home. When picking the right color, think of greys or beiges. Nokes suggests using Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray, Repose Gray, or Balanced Beige. These timeless hues work well to make your home look cleaner and more practical than if you were to use a bright color.
Neutrals might not be your style but remember that your goal is to sell your house by appealing to the majority of homebuyers. Future homeowners can always repaint according to their desired color palate.
Exterior Paint Ideas
Over time, mother nature can take a toll on your home’s exterior. The outside of your home is what prospective homeowners see first when they come to check out your home. Curb appeal isn’t only about a landscaping, your home’s exterior paint might also need an update.
When researching colors for the exterior make sure you stay true to your home’s style. Tudor-style homes are known for their brown, cream and white exteriors which help compliment the brick, stone and slate also on the exterior. Painting a Tudor another color will take away from their elegance. Colonial Revivals, on the other hand, can be found sporting a wide range of color schemes. Just be sure to keep it simple by picking one color for the shutter and another color for the rest of the house. You don’t want your house to stand out for the wrong reasons.
If you’re not looking to do a complete overhaul, Nokes suggests repainting the trim in Sherwin Williams Extra White or Alabaster. Painting outdoor trim can be a DIY project, but always make sure to follow appropriate safety precautions.
Looking for more ideas. Read Exterior Paint Projects That Boost Curb Appeal for more tips.
Interior Paint Colors
If you’re nervous that painting the whole house one color will make it feel flat, choose an accent color in a darker shade to use either on an accent wall or to create a cohesive look from room to room. Accent walls can be tricky when trying to sell your home because they are so subjective. The way you’ve set up your furniture and its size dictate how you view your space. Potential homeowners don’t want to feel locked in to how you’ve set up shop. Try and keep things simple.
If you’re still unsure what colors would work best with your home, you might want to look into hiring an interior designer. The national average cost to hire a professional is $4,735, with most homeowners paying somewhere between $3,407 and $5,143. An interior designer will know what colors will work well in each room, which colors will nicely complement each other and what prospective homeowners are looking for.
Interior Painting Costs
The total cost of painting your home will depend on a few factors. If you’re into DIYing, this might be a task you can take on if you plan ahead. Educate yourself with what you need before tackling this project and how to do it properly. Before making one brush stroke, be sure you have all the necessary tools on hand. Here are the top 3 items you might overlook:
- Use our paint calculator to account for extra
- A drop cloth will protect your floors from getting paint on them
- A quality paintbrush that won’t leave behind debris
While you might be okay with small errors, remember that you are updating the paint to sell your house. It might be best to hire a professional painter. The national average cost to paint a home’s interior is $1,679, with most homeowners paying somewhere between $1,130 to $1,826. Costs will vary depending on your location, how much square footage you’re painting, and the quality of paint you choose, with the bulk of the cost going towards the labor itself.
Conclusion
Keeping future homebuyers top of mind, choose a warm neutral grey or beige paint color to revamp your home. Fresh walls with a timeless color palate will let homebuyers focus on the beauty of your house and help them envision it as their potential home.
Looking for more painting inspiration? Read 7 Painting Trends You’ll Want To Try
