Repainting Before Selling

Many homeowners question whether they should repaint their home before they put it on the market to sell. Often, we are told that it will increase the market value of the home, but homeowners question whether it is worth putting in the extra time and money for someone else to come in and enjoy the fresh paint on the walls. There are many different factors that play a role into increasing the value of your home, and sometimes it is hard to make an informed decision (especially when you are doing something for the first time).

Of course, there are different factors that play a role into the cost of repainting your home, and that is why expert painters should be guiding you to get the best value out of the project. As you continue reading, you will have a better idea on what factors to consider when wanting to repaint your home before selling, and how to gain the best value out of your painting projects. Fresh paint on the walls is more than just a selling point, it can create a whole new visual for your home.

Is it Worth Repainting Before Selling Your Home?

Selling your home can be a very stressful event, while also exciting, there is a lot of work that goes into putting your home up for sale. You want your upgrades to feel like they are worth the money while getting the best outcome possible. It can be hard to think about putting money into your home as you are one foot out the door and all that comes to mind is someone else gaining the enjoyment of your upgrades.

While selling your home, you will also be looking at new potential homes for yourself, and what else is there to say but first impressions hugely matter. Ontario has a very competitive market, so creating those small visual upgrades can very easily begin to influence a buyer’s decision. Ontario home buyers are wanting to gain the best value for their dollar when making a huge investment such as buying a home, so walking in and seeing a fresh coat of paint can help buyers perceive the home with a much cleaner, newer, and well-maintained look.

Often, we see buyers (and sellers) overestimate the cost of repainting, and not seeing the value in giving the home a refresh. This leads to buyers rethinking offers based on outdated walls. We put a lot of time into thinking about staging homes including putting away personal pictures and items, so why stop there? Having neutral colours on the walls can help buyers imagine themselves living there and help give them a clean slate for making their future home their own.

Sellers should also consider the fact that walls face daily wear-and-tear and although the little marks may not be noticeable to the homeowner who walks past the same walls daily, it can be very noticeable to someone walking in the home for the first time. Repainting walls, ceilings, trim, doors, you name it, can help eliminate the visible wear such as scuffs, nail holes, fading, and stains – ultimately giving the home a newer look.

Aside from doing major renovations, paint can offer one of the highest visual returns on a home making it a much more cost-effective project rather than changing the structural aspects of the home. This also creates a raise in the perceived value of the home even if the actual dollar increase varies. While you might not see a larger return when selling, it creates a better perception of value in the home, intriguing buyers to see the value of the home they are walking into.

As a seller, you also face competition with newly built homes, which have all the smaller upgrades that older homes may not have. When painting your home with a brighter, neutral colour, you are putting your home in a better rank competitively speaking which helps buyers see the value in older homes as well. Giving that bright, clean feel with fresh paint, your home will photograph better. As we all know, the first thing we do is look online for pictures of homes for sale, and the last thing you want as a seller is for your home not to look bright enough in the pictures to cause buyers to not want to tour the home. Having those bright, clean walls will improve the online listing photos, having more pull on buyers wanting to come tour the house in person.

A homeowner selling their home wants to maximize the value of their home, and painting is often the right step to take. It helps rooms look larger, brighter, and more modern with neutral colours. This is why realtors often recommend painting before listing. In some cases, exterior painting can also be of value for sellers as it boosts the curb appeal. This is critical for drive-by buyers who spend some time driving around in neighbourhoods they like but aren’t quite ready to jump into viewing just yet. Similar to the idea of doing an open house, it gives buyers the feel for the home without feeling completely committed to a private showing.

Feeling like you need to repaint your entire home before selling can be a daunting task. While this may be the case in some instances, there are also many smaller projects that can be done to still put light on the important focal points buyers are looking at.

1. Interior Focus Areas

There are a mix of aspects that buyers focus more on when looking at homes, and as a seller we have to dive into those smaller things to give a bigger impact. Consider painting smaller sections of your home to create that great first impression, or the spaces that will really stand out in a buyers mind such as:

• Entryways & hallways

• Living rooms and kitchens

• Primary bedrooms

• Baseboards and trim refresh

• Doors and door frames

• Ceilings and spots of discolouration

Pick and choose the areas that are need the biggest refresh in your home to help give buyers the value perception without making it an entire home project.

2. Exterior Quick Wins

Repainting your entire exterior might not be the right move for you as it is not always as cost effective, or maybe the brick on your house looks just as good as the day it was built. But there are smaller upgrades that can be done to increase the curb appear and give a fresh look including:

• Front door repaint for pop of colour

• Garage door refresh

• Porch railings

• Window trim

• Shutters

By giving these exterior points a fresh look, buyers are given the feel that the home is taken care of, and the perception will be carried inside. It’s a great way for people to see the value before stepping inside the front door.

3. Cost-Friendly Touch-Ups

Your house may already feel like it is bright and inviting, but there are still small touch ups that can bring it to the next level.

• Patch nail holes and cracks

• Repaint scuffed corners

• Refresh closets and laundry rooms

• Cover bold accent walls

Hiring a painter to complete these touch ups will take the weekend headache off your plate and give you the peace of mind that no little spot has been missed.

Remember that a mix of different colours in every room can begin to feel choppy as you walk through. Homeowners sometimes miss these points because they are used to daily routines in the home, but buyers are completing a whole house walk through in one go. Giving a consistent colour flow throughout the home can help buyers feel the functionality and flow throughout the home (especially in older homes that don’t have an open-concept floor plan).

A few tips from the colour experts are to stick with light neutrals such as warm whites, soft greige, light gray, and beige tones. Avoid the bold or trendy colours – it may work for your family, but we want buyers to envision their new set-up in the home. When working on exterior, go with tones that complement brick or stone to ensure there are no points that stand out like a sore thumb. And finally, your front door colour should feel welcoming, not extreme – remember it’s the first thing you walk into every day.

Overall, we want homeowners to be able to answer the question “is painting before selling worth the investment?” and yes, from a bigger perspective it is. Repainting is often a smart pre-sale investment to help boost the value of your home, and help buyers become interested in your property. Of course, your home is on the market to sell, right?

If you’re on a budget, there are high-impact areas you can focus on first to help give the overall feel of a fresh paint that you are aiming for without doing a full-interior paint. Having professional painters do the work ensures clean lines, proper prep, and a fast turnaround – no need to drag on the project longer than it’s needed!

Painters Near Me has local expert painters to help you make the best colour choices and determine what painting investment is right for each individual homeowner before selling their home. Offering free, no-obligation quotes to homeowners in Niagara, Oakville, and surrounding areas.