When it comes time to sell your home, getting the highest possible price can help you start the new chapter of your life in the best position.
To achieve this, there are a few simple steps you can take. Hiring the right real estate agent is one aspect that can affect the sales price, as well as choosing the most advantageous season in which to sell.
Another important consideration is how you present your home to prospective buyers. From clearing the clutter to adding desirable features, there are many potential actions that could improve the value of a house. One of the most effective of which is painting.
Giving your interior and exterior a lick of paint is a great way to transform your property and attract the right buyer. If you've decided to sell your home and want to give it the best chance at achieving a high price, here are four quick tips for painting your home before putting it on the market:
Don't scrimp on quality
When trying to increase the value of your home for a sale, it can be tempting to cut costs and seek out low-quality options wherever possible to increase your profits. However, this can be detrimental when choosing paints.
While you may not be around to appreciate the lasting effects of the paint you choose, selecting a budget brand can mean you have your work cut out for you when you actually try to use the product. Rather than saving money, you may in fact end up spending more as you have to apply multiple coats to give your walls and features an attractive cover.
Rather than risking streaks, patches and peeling, remember to choose high-quality products even when painting a home you are planning to leave.
Create curb appeal
Your exterior walls are perhaps the most important feature, as this is the first impression prospective buyers will get of the property. Ensuring you attract would-be homeowners off the street and into your home requires an attractive exterior, so don't forget to spruce up the house with a modern and good-looking coat of paint.
Regardless of whether your home is weatherboard, timber or plaster, there is a high-quality paint option to suit your needs. The key here is to paint in a colour that sets your home apart from the neighbours without going to an extreme and potentially putting people off.
You want to attract the crowd, rather than the individual, so try a popular shade like Resene Fuscous Grey.
Give the buyer a blank slate
When trying to sell your home, imagine what it would be like to be a stranger walking into the property. When looking through the house, the buyer is attempting to picture their life within its walls.
To give them the best possible chance of imaging their family moving in, remember to give the buyer a blank slate to work with. Rather than having your own features and photographs scattered throughout the rooms, try removing as many personal touches as possible. And this can include the paint.
Painting over the feature wall that went so well with your furniture but could potentially clash with all other couches is a good place to start. Sticking with neutral tones is an appealing idea, with options like Resene Merino giving walls an appropriately blank feel without losing their character.
Touch up the trim
If you're working on a small budget, then you may not want to repaint the entire home. A simple way to improve value but save cash is to focus on your trimmings and features.
Just like a roast dinner isn't complete without the gravy, your home can look unfinished if the trim is less than appealing. Revamping your windowsills and touching up the borders will give your home more defined lines and help distract from any potential flaws in your decor. Just remember to stick to more neutral options, as a bright and imposing colour may put off some prospective buyers.