If you’re wondering whether painting your home will increase the value, the answer is “Yes, it will!” And, there isn’t a bad time to think about increasing the value of your home.
Many times people just start thinking about it when getting ready to sell their property and, of course, the value of your home must be considered then. But, if you keep the value of your property in mind throughout ownership, you may have fewer items on the to-do list when you are ready to sell. Your to-do tasks could be quite lengthy, but an easy improvement that has a huge impact is painting. This is true both for painting the exterior and the interior. It was reported in a 2015 survey of 900 real estate agents that a fresh coat of paint can increase the value of a property as much as 50%!
So, what gives you the best bang for the buck when painting? Is it painting the exterior? Or, painting the interior? Should you paint the entire exterior? Which interior rooms should you focus on? What colors should you pick? Read further for our tips that give you some direction whether you’re getting ready to put your home on the market or simply maintaining it properly.
The Exterior of Your Home
When to Paint
There is little doubt that a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of your home adds value to it. The house just looks better when it has had a good paint job. The length of time a paint job lasts on a house depends on the climate of the region where the house is located. But you can typically count on 5 to 7 years in between paintings.
If it has been at least 5 years since your house was painted, visually inspect it to see how the paint is holding up. If it is showing signs of paint degradation such as peeling, chipping, and discoloration from mold and sunlight, you should definitely go ahead and paint it. These are indications that a house isn’t being maintained well, which can bring down the value of your property.
However, let’s say your home was painted less than 5 years ago and looks good. It may not need a new coat on the entire exterior. You can enhance the appearance and increase the value of the home by painting the trim and other features like the front door, window frames, and garage doors. These smaller paint efforts make a big impact.
What Colors to Choose
When it comes to choosing colors that improve the value, there may be variables you should consider. For example, if you live in a planned development that has a homeowners’ board, you may have restrictions regarding colors that are acceptable. This is also true for many historically preserved communities. Other factors in selecting appropriate paint colors include the region that the property is located in. Coastal and tropical regions typically have brighter and/or pastel colors that are acceptable whereas inland areas don’t. Find out as much information about your area as possible. Just because you really like a color doesn’t necessarily mean that a buyer is going to like it.
For example, your personality may exude yellow, but that may be a color very few people embrace. So, yellow would not improve the value of your home. Keep in mind that you will want to go with a color that enhances the look of the house and works with the neighborhood. That’s how you will increase the property’s value!
The Interior of Your Home
What Rooms to Paint
You may or may not need to paint all the rooms in your house, depending on the appearance of the paint on the walls currently. If you see marks and nicks on walls, these need to be painted. But, in general, if your rooms look good we recommend putting fresh paint on the highly visible rooms such as the kitchen, bathrooms, entryways, and foyer. A fresh coat of paint in these rooms gives you the biggest bang for the buck!
What Colors to Choose
In terms of colors for painting the interior of your home, if you are planning on selling in the not-so-distant future, you should go with neutrals. Again, prospective buyers may not like the more distinct colors you have selected in reflecting your tastes.
For example, if you love blue for your bedroom and bathroom, that is great for you to live with. You want your domain to be what you love so that you enjoy living there. But, if you are looking at reselling, blue won’t speak to as many people. Alternatively, neutrals create a blank canvas that buyers can like yet aren’t distracted by. We also advise you to steer away from a stark white and go with softer neutral colors that are soothing and less jolting. Grays are very popular right now as are beiges.
After living in the house, a purchaser may choose to change the colors inside. Let that be their decision to make over a period of time, instead of needing to paint immediately. Having too much color will not add value to your house.
Contact Osborne Painting for a Free Estimate
As you can see, the paint is important as it adds value to your home. But, it’s just as important to get the job done right. Exterior painting requires ladders, scaffolding, and other tools you may not have. Use a professional to ensure that the time and money you spend results in a well-painted home. Osborne Painting has a long history of performing beautiful, long-lasting paint jobs in the Raleigh area. We employ best practices to maintain the quality and longevity you want for the exterior of your home.
Contact us for consultation and assistance when looking at the best for your next paint job! To get started with a free estimate, call us at 919-878-6611 or fill out our online contact form below.