I’ve been wondering lately . . . in today’s market is neutral paint really the best way to go? In a seller’s market, it was probably a safe idea. Lots of competing buyers would find your “toffee cream” and “birch bark white” walls lovely and would enter into the bidding frenzy. Neutral colors and muted tones might allow more buyers to say, “these really would not be my color choices but they are not offensive . . .so, yes, I can live with these walls till I get a chance to paint!” In a buyer’s market, however, maybe color can be the WOW factor that makes a home sell!
Now, I am not advising every seller to run out and pick the wildest colors from their local paint store. If, however, they have a truly good eye for decorating and their style is the talk of the neighborhood OR if they are willing to pay for a design consultant . . .adding some color might make their home memorable and highly desirable to one buyer . . .and really, who wouldn’t be happy to get ONE in this market? There are probably two types of individuals who would be reeled in by a vibrant paint job. The first would be the buyer who LOVES the bold colors that were chosen! She is even offering to buy all the furnishings because she just doesn’t want to alter the look! The second is the buyer who has always wanted color in his home, but was just too afraid to take the plunge. Perhaps the seller’s choice of “happy banana” or “forget-me-not blue” may not be exactly right for him . . . but because there IS color, he sees the potential for his favorite shade of “alien green”!
During a recent company tour of listings, we visited one little cottage which was freshly painted in all neutral colors with white trim . . .except for one spring green wall in the dining room! In their comments, many agents said the green had to go . . .I totally disagreed. The green looked awesome against the white, it added interest and I saw it as a “sample” of what this home could become. In my mind, that wall could have easily been painted yellow, blue, red . . .whatever it would take to coordinate with the homeowner’s china set. The fact that the wall was bright and a focal point simply added character!
Saturated colors can make a house warm, cozy and inviting. In my own Craftsman bungalow, the rich Tuscan colors totally enrich the dark woodwork in a way that the white walls never did! The neutral, relaxing colors of the past decade brought stress relief to those on the corporate fast track. But these are hard times for many and perhaps color can bring cheer! Who doesn’t recognize and admire the bright Fiesta Ware that followed the Great Depression?! Tell me what YOU think!
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