Painting With Purpose: How to Spruce Up Your Home’s Exterior Before Selling – RISMedia’s Housecall

By Brooke Chaplan

You should always make your home look its best before an open house. If the paint is old, chipping away or looks dull, repaint the exterior of your house. Adding paint has proven to be one of the most cost-effective ways of increasing the value of a property. Below are a few reasons why a fresh coat of paint can impact the decisions of potential buyers.

Increases Property Value
Painting can easily raise the value of your home because it’s a cost-effective way to remodel. The return on investment (ROI) can be the entire project cost. Determining the real ROI can be tricky though, as there are other factors that will influence the sale. These factors include:

• The size of the home
• Your property’s color
• How well it blends in with the neighborhood
• The labor costs involved

With so many aspects to consider as you change your property’s appearance, it’s important to make the right decisions when preparing to present it to buyers.

Creates a Good First Impression
The material of the siding and the color you choose are among the first things home buyers will notice. Many homebuyers make their decision even before they step into the home, which is why you need to leave them with a good first impression so they know that your house has been well maintained.

Use neutral colors if you are selling the home as you will appeal to a wider number of people. Too many colors can make it difficult for the home’s entrance to properly stand out.

Clean Worn Siding
While you are painting, you may notice that your siding may need some additional maintenance. Be sure to inspect the siding for chips or damage. If the siding is painted then repaint that area as well. Leaving an area with chipped paint makes it look like you did not care for your home. Your siding’s material can also impact how it should be painted. For example, aluminum siding requires specific paint that is made to adhere to metal surfaces.

Keep Up With Your Living Space
When painting any surface, make sure to clean it before beginning your painting project. Buyers are more likely to make an offer on a home that has been well maintained. And one of the best ways you can show that you care for the property is by having a clean painted exterior. 

Remember that a fresh coat of paint makes your home seem cleaner; home buyers will believe that you have spent a lot of love and care on the maintenance of the home, and be encouraged to take a more thorough tour of the house.

Leave Room for Imagination
Homebuyers often imagine themselves living in the houses that they visit. They are paying a lot of money for a home, so even though cosmetic flaws may sometimes be overlooked, they are still important to prospective buyers. If they see the house as a beautiful backdrop where they can see themselves living, then you are one step closer to selling the home.

 Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger based in New Mexico. Her first passion is journalism, but she also loves hiking and gardening. Brooke recommends working with a professional when starting aluminum siding painting projects. Find her on Twitter and Facebook: @BrookeChaplan; https://www.facebook.com/brooke.chaplan