House painting is one of the best investments in an overall home selling plan. Painting often allows the home seller to improve the house’s value for the least amount of money. It also attracts more home buyers faster thanks to the move-in-ready condition fresh paint provides, which is often the number one quality military homebuyers are looking for.
Before heading to the hardware store to choose paint colors, stop to read these common questions about house painting. They could save you time and money.
1) How does repainting increase my home's value?
Feel secure in knowing that repainting your home is usually worth the investment. Of course, you’ll have to run the numbers and align the project with your neighborhood's standards to earn the most money on your sale, but you can expect a 2% to 5% increase in your home’s value by updating exterior painting and 5% or slightly more for new interior paint.
Curious about your home’s current value? Read How to Estimate Your Home's Value for more information.
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2) How much does new paint cost?
Your home’s location, size, repairs, and type of paint used affect how much it costs to repaint. But on average, you’ll pay about $2,000 to $5,000 for interior paint. The average costs for exterior painting range from $5,000 to $8,000, but it’s not unheard of to go as high as $15,000 to $20,000 for expansive, intricate home exteriors.
Consider a Real Estate Agent’s Advice
Unless you’re well-versed in your local area’s real estate trends and have plenty of time to run ROI numbers on worthwhile home improvement updates, you’ll probably hire a real estate agent to help you sell your home and decide which paint projects to take on. Even if you decide to sell your home as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), it's worth paying a professional a consulting fee to help you choose to invest in a paint overhaul.
Rely on their expertise to work through the costs. They may refer to figures that prove the sellers' market is hot and suggest selling without paint updates, particularly if your move-out timeline is unexpected and short. Or, they could present calculations that suggest a week's worth of work, and a few thousand dollars could add an extra $10,000 or $20,000 to the final sale price.
Choosing the Right Real Estate Agent: A Guide for Military Home Buyers teaches how to find an agent who will work hard for you.
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3) When it comes to preparing to sell my home, do paint colors matter?
Yes. A wide range of real estate professionals have proven that curb appeal and blank-slate interiors attract the most buyers. The tan, white, beige, greige, and gray color palette might bore you to tears, but the average home buyer prefers a turnkey property or an easily personalized home.
Military home buyers rarely have the time to oversee a complete paint renovation before signing into a new duty station, so they’re inclined to buy a home that suits their unpacking timeline and is a neutral backdrop for their belongings.
Best Interior Paint Colors
It's best to stick to one or two neutral colors throughout the house for eye-pleasing continuity, immediate move-in appeal, and cost-effectiveness. Here are some ideas of neutral interior paint colors.
- Sherwin-Williams: Worldly Gray, White Flour, Snowbound Accessible Beige
- Benjamin Moore: Upper West Side, Chantilly Lace, White Dove, Elephant Tusk
- Behr: Smokestack, Natural Bark, Chenille Spread
Best Exterior Paint Colors
It's okay to add a little personality when choosing exterior paint. Although white homes are still popular, other acceptable neutrals with pizazz include green, navy, and gray. Keep in mind that your home’s trim and shutter color could be the way to add a little color personality that draws buyers in.
Avoid paint colors that do not match the neighbors. Buyers want cohesiveness, not an eyesore. The caveat to this is if you live in a location with personalized-on-purpose painted homes like those on San Francisco's famous Painted Ladies or Charleston’s Rainbow Row. Try these:
- Sherwin Williams: Needlepoint Navy, Alabaster, Pewter Cast
- Benjamin Moore: Tarrytown Green, Cloud White, Amherst Gray
- Behr: Polar Bear, Blank Canvas, Dark Ash
Painting isn’t the only way to increase your property’s value. See 12 Repairs You Should Make Before Selling Your Home.
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4) How do I choose paint color finishes?
It’s best to discuss interior and exterior paint finishes with a professional painter after they’ve evaluated the condition of your home. But if you prefer a DIY project, there are many factors to consider, including primers, durability, climate, natural light exposure, camouflage effects, and price point.
The best exterior paints are oil, latex, and acrylic latex. Pro painters often pick latex paint for the interior, but some wall conditions might require an oil-based paint for better coverage. All paint comes in a range of finishes: flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. Each has its pros and cons. Flat paint hides more flaws but is less durable. High-gloss paint highlights flaws but is more durable. Many homeowners go for the middle ground with satin and semi-gloss finishes.
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5) Should I paint my front door before I sell my home?
Even if it's the only paint project you can afford, invest in updating your front door. The amount of positive curb appeal a freshly painted door project provides is substantial. And don’t stress about the paint color—the most popular paint color requested for a front door is black.
You can’t go wrong with a shiny, regal, stately black door. It's a widespread truth in the real estate industry that a black door can increase a home’s value by thousands of dollars. If black just doesn’t work for your property, a dark neutral green like olive is an attractive option.
If you have the time and money, updating your home's interior and exterior paint could pay you thousands of dollars on closing day. However, if an entire makeover isn’t in the budget, consider a smaller paint project with a big impact, like lightening kitchen cabinets or adding the perfect shade of black to your front door.
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