When selling your home, there are a number of things to take into account. Phrases like “de-clutter your home” and “stage it for showing” are commonly thrown around. But if you’re looking for a unique edge that will help sell your home for a little extra value, think about your’s home’s paint. Both the interior and exterior play such integral roles in a buyer’s decision — and having the right color can really help your chances of landing a deal. But does this mean you should paint your home a wild green to attract attention or stick to more neutral colors to appeal to everyone?
The answer lies in a combination of both. You want to use more common paint tones to appeal for the average buyer, but you also want to try and incorporate sharp colors that can accentuate your home’s main color. The most notable example is the front door. Even if your home is warm, soft color, you can complement it with a sharp-colored front door. With a nice color, you can create an unforgettable memory in the buyer’s mind. The classic combination is white walls and a red door. Red continually sticks out, but looks sleek enough to appeal to a number of people.
Here’s how to choose paint colors that help sell your home:
Consider the Locale
There are definitely regional differences in exterior paint styles. A New England saltbox with white clapboard siding and black shutters might look very out-of-place in Southern California. Take the neighborhood into account, and try to remain true to the style of the home itself. Aside from that consideration, pick colors that appeal to you and average buyers.
Once a visitor steps inside, there should be a seamless transition and an open invitation to explore the rest of the house. This is not the place for trendy colors or exotic accents. Professional home stagers nationwide recommend calming neutral colors for wide appeal, but that doesn’t mean boring and it doesn’t mean white. In fact, white walls are often a mistake. Not only are they perceived as too bright or too stark, they often highlight flaws and imperfections and are viewed as “high maintenance.”
Better choices are the sand, sea and sky colors — pale, clear tones with just a hint of color, evoking a peaceful day at the shore. In southern California, actual hues can range from watery pales and sandy beach and shell tones to morning sunshine and buttery yellows through “storm’s a’coming” grays and dusty, dune-grass greens. All are considered neutral, and allow for a wide range of accent colors in an interior setting.
Strive for a Cohesive Plan
Coloring a house for sale requires some thought and planning; Too much beige and brown is not only boring, but can be as dated as shag carpeting and flocked wallpaper. The interior scheme should showcase rooms as comfortable spaces, a haven from the busy outside world, and a pleasant surround for family life. If you think of wall colors as the wrapping, you can then add small touches of color in art and accessories to complete the package.
Your home should have a coordinated scheme, but there is no need for every room to be the same. Just avoid the temptation to allow every room an individual personality.
A house on the market need not shout about its qualities. Rather, you should strive to let the home wrap its visitors in comfort and suggest a lifestyle, whispering to them of the pleasant times they can enjoy when they move in.
