Wallpaper: Should It Stay or Go When Selling a Home ?

I recently had a realtor tell me they were working with a buyer that said, "don't take me to see any houses with wallpaper because I will not make an offer." While that may sound extreme, the reality is wallpaper scares most buyers.

Think about the wallpaper you may have in your house or have seen in others. Wallpaper styles are very personal and rarely neutral. What appeals to a homeowner is not likely to appeal to a potential buyer. In addition, wallpaper can often give the house a dated appearance.

Even if a buyer can see beyond the wallpaper, they may be concerned about what is lurking behind it. Fear sets in when they consider the removal costs or daunting task of removing it them self. I have personally removed the stuff. While it can be time consuming, it is not that difficult. I found renting a steamer from my local home improvement center to be the best method. Unfortunately, most buyers are reluctant to repaint, let alone take on bigger projects like wallpaper removal. The majority of buyers want a house that is move in ready.

In order to give sellers every possible advantage in this buyer's market, I generally recommend removing wallpaper and painting a neutral color in its' place. I think you will agree that the change can be dramatic!