When Selling Your Home, Does Paint Color Matter?

When shopping for a home, we’ve all heard it before—“Look at the bones of the property instead of changeable things such as loud paint or outdated light fixtures.”  However, while we may understand this advice on an intellectual level, as buyers, it’s often hard to make our hearts follow suit when we’re looking for the perfect house.

With that in mind, upon marketing your home, it should come as no surprise that the color of your walls may actually make a huge difference in whether or not you receive a timely offer.  To begin with, your color preferences may not be in line with the buyer’s tastes, but in reality, it’s often about more than whether you like the same things.  In short, colors tend to make homes look different to different people.

Yes, many sellers approach wall color with the notion that, “It’s only paint.  The buyer can easily fix it upon move-in,” but in truth, neutral tones and freshly painted trim can greatly affect the amount of time your home sits on the market.

Generally speaking, in terms of updates that will help you attract more interested buyers, paint can be an extremely easy fix.  On the one hand, it obviously increases your chances of receiving a good return on your investment, but it also tends to separate your home from the herd.  While it’s important to speak with a Realtor in advance to see whether changes will be beneficial and if so, what types would help the most, it’s still important to understand the fact that—like a blank canvass—neutral colors encourage buyers to envision their life in your house.

In the end, it’s often the little things that can make a big difference when it comes to marketing your home, especially if you’re attempting to do it on a budget.  While certain updates such as adding granite countertops or hardwood floors may seem out of your price range, rest assured that some strategically placed fresh paint can make a positive difference.

Pam Evans, Meridian Realty | www.hellopamevans.com | 678-778-6551