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Sellers...Neutralize Your Spaces With Paint!

By
Home Stager with Judy Heinrich Home Staging

When it's time to put your house on the market, I believe one of the biggest "bang for your buck" improvements a seller can make is contained in a simple can of paint!  I believe it's so important that I tend to recommend painting first, even if it means there is no money left in the budget for my staging services.  Buyers want homes that are move in ready!  Colorful walls scream "work to be done" especially if they are not in the color scheme a potential buyer prefers.  However, if the home is neutral in color (this doesn't mean white!), a buyer can move right in.  When the buyer wants to put their own color on the walls, it's now called "decorating" not "work"... which is much more fun!

Here's a couple examples of too personal color choices:

Kitchen before painting    Kitchen after painting

   

It is also very important to add color, not just take it away.  A warm, neutral color on walls makes the room feel cozier, makes the woodwork pop, and the room feels less sterile overall.  Below is an example of a dining room (same model), one was left white and empty, the second one was painted and staged:

  

Judy Heinrich Home Staging, LLC - providing professional home staging services to the greater Richmond, Virginia area.  For more information on preparing your home for sale, please visit www.judyheinrich.com or phone 804-271-2604.

 

 

Comments (12)

Sheri Walker
Joy Daniels Real Estate Group - Mechanicsburg, PA

Good morning Judy, Just having my cup of coffee reading a couple of blogs!  I love the flexibility of running my own business!  :) 

I agree that painting goes along way.  I have kept my painting crew busy since January on staging projects (or wallpaper removal).  I love the transformation when I take down wallpaper and completely change the room with paint.  It is the easiest, fastest, least expensive way to increase value in a home!!!   It is also the most lucrative way for me to make money without having to be physically present on a project.  Of course, some of my sellers paint themselves.  Either way, I'm always happy when they do it because I know what a big difference it will make!

Nov 05, 2008 11:50 PM
Sheri Walker
Joy Daniels Real Estate Group - Mechanicsburg, PA

Here's an example of a home we did 3 weeks ago...before we got some artwork on walls and a centerpiece on table...but you get the idea.  Paint changed the entire kitchen/eat-in area.  This home sold in 2 weeks!

 

 

Nov 06, 2008 12:00 AM
Judy Heinrich
Judy Heinrich Home Staging - San Diego, CA

Sheri - Great transformation!!!!  I just love it when sellers follow our suggestions!  What color did you use?

Nov 06, 2008 12:10 AM
Kathy Passarette
Creative Home Expressions - Mount Sinai, NY
L.I. Staging/Decorating

Judy ~ Great photos!  That first set really shows a difference; not just in the color, but the after shot shows the area to be much brighter and bigger.  It looks more like a place you could linger. 

Nov 06, 2008 12:20 AM
Sheri Walker
Joy Daniels Real Estate Group - Mechanicsburg, PA

Judy - I think we used interactive cream or bagel in this home.  I rarely choose paint colors but that S-W color family is pretty popular with us:  interactive cream, bagel and totally tan can work many places!  Pretty sure that's what we chose here.  :)

Nov 06, 2008 01:05 AM
Judy Heinrich
Judy Heinrich Home Staging - San Diego, CA

Kathy - Even after just clearing out the obvious, the room still wouldn't have felt comfortable...love the power of paint.   What you don't see is the kitchen cabinets that were bright yellow.  Thankfully they painted them as well!

Sheri - I've never used any of those colors but will mark them on the fan deck as colors to consider!

Nov 06, 2008 10:40 PM
Virginia Tatseos
Stage-Show-Sell - Bloomfield Township, MI

The dining room amazes me.  The color washed away the beautiful lower half of the walls.  Your color made it pop

Hopefully they will be your raving fans and send a lot of referrals your way

Nov 09, 2008 04:00 AM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

That bathroom amazes me.  Talk about a significant change!

Kathy

Nov 09, 2008 04:59 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Judy ~ That bathroom went from loud and annoying to peaceful and classic -- great transformations with such an easy change.  Nice work!

Would you please consider posting this in the Newbies Group?http://activerain.com/groups/RealWorldHomeStaging

 

Nov 09, 2008 05:35 AM
Ginger Foust
Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA
Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Great work Judy. I love how you changed the significance of each room with color addition and change.  BIG impact! 

Nov 09, 2008 06:58 AM
Judy Heinrich
Judy Heinrich Home Staging - San Diego, CA

Virginia - It is amazing what a little color can do isn't it?

Kathy - And an easy change as well!

Maureen - Sure, I'll post it to that group

Ginger - Thank you!

Nov 09, 2008 10:37 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Thanks Judy -- great info here for all of us

Featured in the group:

http://activerain.com/groups/RealWorldHomeStaging

Nov 11, 2008 03:50 AM