While it may seem counterintuitive to invest more money into your home before listing, it’s important to understand why you should paint the exterior of your house before selling. A fresh coat of paint increases curb appeal and competition, which ultimately means that your home will spend less time on the market and fetch a relatively higher price in the end. On average, painting the outside of your house before selling can raise your sale price anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000. That’s a huge return on the relatively inexpensive investment of painting.
The short answer: Yes, you should paint your house exterior before selling, as it yields major benefits during the selling process. Here’s why:
1. Buyers Seek Curb Appeal in the Digital Age
Gone are the days when buyers drove around looking for “For Sale” signs in the lawns of their favorite neighborhoods. Word of mouth, while powerful, has also taken a backseat to online home-buying platforms and agency marketing. These hyper-visual platforms mean that potential homebuyers are attracted to the most photogenic homes within their budget. In fact, a very photogenic home might even push buyers to stretch their budget: they simply fall in love.
What does this mean for the home sellers of today? Your home needs to have curb appeal. A fresh coat of exterior paint and some landscaping can make all the difference in attracting a large pool of buyers. Not only will your home “go viral” on the web, but also this type of upkeep sends an important message to buyers: you took good care of this home.
2. Buyers Want a Low-Maintenance Investment
A fresh coat of paint shows buyers that you didn’t shy away from important upkeep and maintenance of your home. A pristine external appearance serves as a stand-in for the rest of your home’s nuts and bolts. It sends the message to buyers that the internal workings of the home will likely also be in tip-top shape, from the HVAC and water heater to the walls and windows.
In the end, buyers typically don’t want to purchase a project. They want to make a sound investment in a home that will accrue value without the need to put in a lot of work upfront. Having a low-maintenance, move-in ready home will pique their interest.
Depending on your home’s siding, exterior paint should be refreshed every 3-7 years. This means that your buyers can rest assured knowing that they won’t need to worry about the investment of repainting for at least the first few years. Your fresh coat of paint also helps protect the exterior siding from insects and weather, so buyers know that they are less likely to face any surprise damage in the near future.
3. Exterior Repainting is an Instant Style Update for Older Homes
If you’re the proud owner of a vintage Adirondack home, you may feel conflicted. You’d like to retain the vintage charm of your home, but it’s also important to maintain a refreshed appearance. Luckily, exterior painting is an easy way to update the appearance of your home without covering up its old-school style.
The key to painting older homes is in choosing color stories and accents that enhance the home rather than fully modernizing it. Connecting with a local expert in exterior painting will help ensure a final look that fits your home and celebrates the Adirondack aesthetic. In other words, make sure you hire the best Adirondack house painter so your home stays true to its roots.
4. Local Buyers Want The “Adirondack Look”
The Adirondacks are unique in that your homebuyer pool may consist of long-term residents as well as vacationers and retirees. Many have worked hard to afford a little slice of heaven, and they may arrive with high standards for how paradise should look.
If they’re specifically shopping in the Adirondacks, it’s because they already love the aesthetic and natural refuge of the area. That means your home should embrace local styles and color stories to fit the “look” that you think buyers will like.
Rather than style your home like a desert ranch or coastal beach house, choose an exterior color scheme that highlights natural depths of color and woodsy charm. For some, this means darker grays and red accents. Others prefer a light gray or wooden siding with pops of color around the doors and windows. If you’re looking for color inspiration, a recent study by Zillow showed that homes painting navy blue with gray slate doors sell anywhere from $1,514 – $6,271 more than the average comparable home.
No matter the color scheme, buyers will not overlook your attention to detail. Ultimately, these subtle choices give a home its inviting quality.
Given the many benefits, it’s surprising that more sellers don’t paint their house exterior before selling. Understandably, many sellers are eager to make a sale and realize their profits. However, it’s ultimately a better financial decision to take the time to work with an expert to repaint the exterior of your house before selling.
If you’re ready to discuss the specifics of your project, we’re here to help.
For your free estimate, please contact us or call Christopher Caldwell at (518) 891-7354.
Chris Caldwell has been painting, insulating, and preserving historic houses, commercial buildings, and Great Camps in the Adirondacks since 1978.