thinking of selling your home?
Unfortunately, most people live in their houses for many years and never think about painting until it comes time to sell. For most people, it just seems like an unnecessary expense, and for those who love to decorate, you might have every room a different colour . In either case, you are probably going to need to paint your house before you put it on the market. Over the years, I have heard many people say painting is easy; that they can do it themselves and save a bundle.
Unfortunately, this is not always the truth. Sometimes choosing to take on a task of this size can prove to be more trouble than it is worth. Especially if you do not do this for a living. Unless you are very confident in yourself, and committed to a doing perfect job, I would leave the painting to the professionals - that is, a reputable paint contractor that is insured, licensed, and comes with great references, not your average handyman.
Preparing Your Home For Resale
Redecorating is an important part of getting your home ready to be put on the market - it's important to remember to de-clutter, de-personalize, and redecorate your space. Painting a room is the most cost effective way to neutralize a space and help increase the return on your investment. While a simple paint job can raise the value of your house, it can also lower the number of days your home is on the market.
Buying a house is a big choice and a big expense. Being able to tell people that they house has been freshly painted inside and out, is a huge plus. And if your house is on the market longer than you hoped for, which seems to be a trend right now, at least you know that your paint job will hold up until the house is sold. As with any household construction project, painting may be a hassle but it could really pay off in the long run. Just call Oliver of Oliver's Interiors to get a fair professional results to get the best price for your home!
TIP 1: Paint With Neutrals
Remember that you are painting this house to make it appealing to other people. So find neutral colours that complement each other. If you are painting the interior, I recommend going with an updated colour selection like; white ceilings and trim, and tan or beige walls. Sticking with neutral colours will make your home appeal to a broader selection of people, and help your house sell faster.
The same rule applies to painting the exterior of the house - stick with softer, more neutral colours. Before you pick out or purchase anything, make sure that consult your HOA for your community's colour policies. From there, I recommend visiting your local paint store and asking them for an exterior colour guide. These are generally full of great colour ideas that are specifically chosen for the exterior of a home.
TIP 2: Purchase Plenty of Paint
Be sure to buy enough paint - this is a very important step. You will want to buy plenty of your colour, and mix the gallons together before application. If you skip this step, you may find that the colour of each tin of paint may be slightly off, which may throw off the look of your space. This will also make it difficult when you try to touch up the paint later on. I've seen this happen more times than I can count.
If you read the directions on any reputable paint brand, it will tell you to do this. The reason for this is that the colour pigment that is put into the paint is measured fairly accurately, but it is not a perfect system. Even a tiny bit too much or too little, can change the colour of the entire container. If you need help figuring out how much paint to buy, consult your local paint store.
TIP 3: Prep Your Walls For Paint
Another step people tend to skip is the preparation process. When painting the interior of the house, you will first want to remove grease and grime from doors and walls, dust from baseboards and tops of door casings, fill nail holes, caulk corners, and cover any areas or furniture in the room. I recommend starting in one small room first, as practice before tackling larger rooms.
To prep your house's exterior, you will want to scrape any loose or peeling paint, replace any rotten trim or siding, fill holes and cracks, then power wash the exterior surfaces the day or two before you are ready to paint. Be sure to use a good primer on any new materials or any other areas in need before applying paint.
If it has been too many years since your last paint job, you may need to apply primer to everything. If this is the case, again, please consider calling a professional and save yourself the headache.
Staging Tips
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make potential buyers feel at home:
LIVING ROOM Purchase a few choice plants and accessorize with care.
MASTER BEDROOM Purchase new linens, tidy closets well, put away personal photographs and add lighting for atmosphere.
KITCHEN Clear unwanted clutter and remove all garbage and recycling. Clean everything (floors, cabinets, counters, appliances). Keep accessories light, such as a simple centrepiece on the table, and create an inviting atmosphere - baked cookies work well!
EXTERIOR & LANDSCAPING Trim bushes, hedges and trees, clean freshen flower gardens to enhance curb appeal and to ensure the property looks neat.
