According to Consumer reports (and real estate brokers), one of the top ten cost effective ways to increase the value of your home (without breaking the bank) is to paint. Selectively painting interior rooms of your home before selling can generate a potential return of 1 to 3%, while enhancing the exterior of your home could yield a potential return of 2 to 5% (www.consumerreports.org).
Sustainable painters suggests the following: when re-painting the interior of your home to get it ready for the market, repairing chipped and damaged walls coupled with a fresh coat of paint conveys a strong message of prudent and meticulous home maintenance. Also, realtors suggest going with neutral interior colours. “Get out of your personal taste.” Says Realtor Reba Haas (www.thisoldhouse.com). I’m sure we can all look back on a time where you were house hunting and could only describe one of your options as “the house with the lime green (or purple) room.” Home owners want the future buyer to be able to dream and project their fresh ideas into your old space, and warm neutral colours seem to allow for this type of dreaming to occur.
Please see future blogs for home painting and DIY tips!