This is the time of year that people in Western Massachusetts start thinking about putting their home on the real estate market. When they do, the smart ones invite their trusted REALTOR in to give advice on staging prior to listing the home.
I have been on many of these types of appointments over the past couple of months and inevitably there is one main thing that needs to be addressed: paint.
Such a simple thing, paint, but not easy. It is messy and time consuming and hiring professionals can get pricey, but let me tell you something…you need to do it!
Even a home that is already fairly neutral will benefit from a fresh coat of paint, but most homes haven’t been painted in years or are decorated with colors that might turn off potential buyers.
Now, if you have wallpaper on the walls we have a whole other issue. Buyers HATE wallpaper. Yes, that expensive paper that you have loved is a deterrent to the sale of your home. No, the buyer can’t “just deal with it”. The buyer will buy a house without wallpaper and with a fresh coat of paint! The wallpaper needs to come down, the walls need a coat of neutral (but not cold) paint.
The last issue I encounter often is the panelled basement rec room. Most panelling is dark and while you might feel that lends to the coziness of the room, most people think it looks dated and cave-like. Removing the panelling is expensive, but this can get a coat of paint, too! Prep the paneling with a primer like Kilz and then paint with regular paint over that.
The t question is what color to paint. Here is a great resource that can help you decide:
