Does it matter what color paint you use on the walls when selling a house? Most definitely it does matter what the color of paint is on the walls when you go to sell the house. A color that you may like on the walls may not be the choice of color for the buyer....

Certain colors tend to make a room look and feel larger and warmer than other colors. because your daughter liked pink on the walls and your son wanted his room blue does not matter to a buyer. They may not want those colors.

I know a lot of people tell me but it is only paint...it can be fixed with a fresh coat of paint and they can paint it whatever color they want when they move in. yes that is true....but colors tend to make a house look different to different people.

For example, I walked into a house that had been on the market for seven months with no offers and few showings.  The seller could not understand why.  Home was priced right.  Well as soon as you walked in  you immediately noticed the colorful rooms with decor and paint that matched the sellers taste. Most buyers walking through the house were turned off by the paint colors and could not look past it. In some rooms it made the rooms feel and look smaller and the lack of fresh paint on the trim work made the house feel old and dated inside.

Now, fast forward 30 days.  When I walked into the same house that was freshly painted in a beige color on all the walls and the trim was brightened up with a white glossy paint. The rooms looked rich and bright and the house had a feel of being newer and more updated than before. Buyers were in love with the house because of the fresh paint and the feeling they got when they walked in and saw the home freshly painted and warm and inviting.  It made the house look and feel larger and open.

Because of that the showings increased dramatically and with the increase in showings came multiple offers and a closed sale…

 Paint may be an easy fix to a house that a prospective buyer can do.....but it is also something that can make your home stand out from the rest and help you get a quicker sale and possibly more money for the house.....do not neglect the little things in this housing market that can add value to your house and help you get it sold in a timely manner.

 

Dave diCecco

Realtor/Broker

Coldwell Banker United

www.davedicecco.com

Dave diCecco

Realtor/Broker

www.davedicecco.com

 

 
Star Posted by Dave diCecco on 08/22/2012 08:57 AM   Comments (69)   Seller Tips in the Home Selling Channel   selling home charlotte, nc  
Originally posted at: Dave's Charlotte Blog: Does Paint Color Matter When Selling A House?
Short URL: http://actvra.in/GJL

69 Comments on Does Paint Color Matter When Selling A House?

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

AUG
23
214,029 Points 2 Featured Posts

Color strikes an emotional chord, just look at all the  replies to this topic of p aint color and selling houses.

One  of the benefits of buying a home is that a buyer can paint their new home any color they want. 

Funny thing is buyers don't want to have to do it before they move their stuff in. 

 
7:19am • #50

I had a client once tell me "it's only paint the buyer can get a gallon and repaint it.  It's not hard", the whole time I was thinking to myself...exactly.  Considering some bedrooms were painted with bright pink lines and dark green lines all over the walls, it was probably the ugliest paint job I had ever seen and every bedroom in the house was painted crazy.   I even offered to help him paint because I knew it had to be done to sell the house.  He didn't feel it needed to be done.  No wonder it took his house close to a year to sell...  I just wish that sellers would actually listen to us as agents, we do know what we are talking about!
7:46am • #51
So true. Nothing like a heavy coat of Pepto-Bismol to greet a potential buyer. Good post.
8:09am • #52
368,014 Points 14 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hey Dave,

There are a few buyers that will enjoy the multi colored house, but most like the neutral look and feel.  I just had a new construction home where the buyers chose a somewhat dark paint color.  The paint job was aweful, and there was no way to do 'touch ups' so the builder had to paint the whole house again.  The buyers were pleased but regretted that they chose the darker color.  And more upset that no one told in advance the problems with darker paint colors.

Best of success to you this year!
8:09am • #53
500,277 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Dave, we had a buyer start whistling the Pink Panther theme once as they left a house!
8:12am • #54
731,668 Points 15 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Dave, I tend to agree. Neutral colors appeal to more people when previewing homes. Point taken.
8:16am • #55
154,437 Points Outside Blog

Color is taught in all of our classes, so it rally amazes me when I see a Realtor's personal house for sale.....with pink, etc. rooms!! Seriously now, are you REALLY trying to sell it or just pad your Listing Stat?!?!
8:37am • #56
226,784 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Great post - paint color matters and it's relatively cheap to repaint to get it right. Regards Dave
9:17am • #57
2 Featured Posts Outside Blog

As someone who rehabs and resells houses for a living, I agree that paint color is key.  The secret however is knowing which paint color.  You want to make sure that your neutral color is current - for quite a few years, beige with a lot of brown in it was good, now we're tilting towards a more grey beige at least in my market.  I keep hoping that white will come back - but alas I don't think it's to be.
9:23am • #58
1 Featured Post Outside Blog

I always tell sellers never leave these seemingly small things for the buyer to do--most buyers don't want to do it or have no imagination on how they can change it!  In the end, it is more important to get the house sold than leave those little things undone!
10:09am • #59
312,980 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I'm a paintaholic and love to paint my rooms but when selling my homes in the past I always went back to the basics and they have always sold fast.  It really helps the buyer see past obstacles and envision their personal touches.  Alot of times a fresh coat of paint really helps make the room brighten up and feel welcoming.  Great point I just wish more sellers would realize how easy painting a room really is and what huge benefits you'll reap 
12:36pm • #60
702,782 Points 39 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Buyers also get a feeling from the paint color & most don't like 'your' personal tastes. Besides that is at least $1500 in painting expenses that a buyer just might not want to do.  The other day more than 1/2 a townhouse was painted red - let's just double the price to cover that mess.  No one wants to do the work!
1:43pm • #61
1,024,215 Points 15 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I have no sense of style but I can say Beige and it is the way to go.  People think they can look past that stuff, but they cannot.
4:14pm • #62
AUG
24

This makes me wonder who has been representing the buyers that saw the home within a month before the paint job. I would think the seller would be desparate from not getting any offers. A savvy buyer could/should have noticed that the color choice is the primary reason why no offers have been coming in, and offered at least $5,000 less. A motivated seller would have listened. That buyer could have spent $1,500 on a paint job before move-in, and saved $3,500 more than the eventual buyer did. (And in the instance here, the seller "lost" the money on the paint job.)

 

And don't shoot the messenger. A very good friend of mine got his house because he and his agent discovered the "reason" a home wasn't selling after months on the market. He was easily able to correct the "problem" for less than $50. Yet, while he and his wife and agent went to see the house, the seller dropped the price $10,000 on the spot. It was because they hadn't had ANY offer on the home in weeks. The buyer and his agent did their homework, and saved thousands because they did.

 

Seems to me a savvy agent and buyer could have gotten this home for a lot less a lot sooner.
2:10pm • #63
AUG
26
388,883 Points 21 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Dave, When I previewed my sellers house I suggested paint among a few other things. They did paint the main flow of the house but the lime green walls in one bedroom that stayed always gives buyers a chuckle. Good thing most people can see past that in a kids bedroom.
6:20pm • #64
776,520 Points 16 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Dave, as much as I try to get a buyer to look past any paint or cosmetic issues I'm not always successful. A little paint up front is usually goes a long way towards getting a home sold.
8:23pm • #65
252,720 Points 5 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Dave, paint color is definitely an acquired taste and when it is too intrusive, taste specific and/or fights with the rest of the decor, it should definitely be changed.  And fresh paint always makes a house glow.
8:54pm • #66

Can't tell you how many homes I sold because they were the wrong color. I remember in my area in the 70's in my area a blue house or a pink house was a non-selling house. I got a listing on a 2 year old home that was immaculate, neat as a model home, lots of showing no offers, blue walls, blue carpet, blue lino in kitchen, family room. priced at market, good location. It made me think of the number of such homes and I started asking buyers how they would like to save thousands by buying a home and changing the colors to ones they liked at their leisure. They got into that mindset and would mentally be giving homes new color schemes as they inspected them.

Once had a mansion that was painted pink and the woodwork was bleached oak, Back then it was a $1.4 million dollar home. the one next door sold for $1.45M, Pinky just sat and sat and finally my brother and I bought it for *825k and spent $200k on repainting, carpet, and redoing a lot of the wood, and putting a stone front on the home, and it sold in 30 days for $1.5  I had the habit of watching pink homes that came on the market and they usually turned into a deal for one of my buyer prospects down the road.

Many of the homes we rehabbed in those days were changed to yellow with white trim and a white picket fence, and they always sold quickly. So color schemes are one of those things I look at at listing time. of course sellers resent you knocking their personal choices so you have to say the current trend is... not your colors suck.
10:29pm • #67
AUG
27
161,247 Points 1 Featured Post

Just sold a home with a bright orange room but their daughter is a huge UF (Florida) Gator fan so it worked out well. However, would always recommend neutrals if you can get the seller to agree.  Probably one of the best investments sellers can make.
9:19am • #68
NOV
20
237,916 Points 5 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

I'm with you Dave. People think they can see past things. Very few actually can.
8:41pm • #69

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