You have many things to do when listing your home for sale. Cleaning, decluttering, and making minor repairs are all important; however, another task you should consider involves painting. A fresh coat of paint provides several advantages for buyers and sellers alike. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider hiring a residential painter.

#1. It provides a good first impression

The first impression people have of your home will be a lasting one. This is primarily why real estate agents place so much emphasis on curb appeal. If your exterior paint is faded or peeling, this will definitely affect how others perceive your home.

You may not think about your home’s paint much. In fact, you may have grown accustomed to it and might not even notice that your paint job is past its prime. Now is the time to reexamine your home to determine how it could look to others. Does the finish look dull, faded, or dingy? Is there peeling or flaking paint that detracts from its overall appearance? What about the color? You’ll want a shade that doesn’t make your home seem outdated and flows well with other houses around it.

Your home may already have a maintenance-free exterior, in which case curb appeal may not be an issue. That doesn’t mean the first impression of your interior isn’t equally as important. Once you have people inside, you’ll want them to notice how clean and well-maintained your walls are. That way, they will want to stay and look around some more.

#2. Helps your home photograph well

These days, the first impression people have of your home can actually be formed before they ever step foot on your property. Most buyers narrow down their choices by looking through online listings and photographs. A fresh coat of paint is one way to make your photographs stand out so that others will want to come and see your home.

A new paint job can also help you highlight architectural features. So if you have a fireplace, windows, or arched doorways that you want people to notice, you will definitely want to paint so that they stand out. This is where a painting contractor can come in handy, by advising what techniques and colors will help you better accomplish this.

#3. Makes better use of natural light

When selling a home, Realtors generally recommend painting with lighter, more neutral tones. That’s because lighter shades will better reflect light, allowing your space to feel more open. In turn, optimizing light sources can also help your home photograph well.

When you have more natural light, your space will automatically feel warmer and cozier. As such, it helps buyers imagine themselves feeling comfortable living there.

Maybe you think that painting isn’t necessary because your walls are already a light color. The fact is that fresh paint reflects light better than a finish that is dull or dirty. Accordingly, you should consider hiring a residential painter, even if you have already painted fairly recently.

#4. Gives the appearance of being well maintained

One thing that buyers are often concerned with involves future maintenance. When viewing a home, most are also looking for signs that might indicate a home is well taken care of. Nothing says you have a well-maintained home quite like a recent paint job.

Painting your home is a fairly easy and inexpensive maintenance task. If you can show others that you have taken care of this basic, they won’t worry nearly as much over whether you have also handled bigger maintenance issues.

#5. Can correct minor imperfections

Potential buyers will be looking your home over very thoroughly. This means they are apt to notice any problems with your walls. If you have uneven walls, small holes, or other imperfections, these will have to be addressed before you paint. When problems aren’t easily corrected, they can often be disguised with the right paint scheme. Consequently, a painting contractor can correct any issues before they become a buyer distraction.

#6. Gives it “move-in ready” status

When purchasing a new home, buyers are often excited about the idea of starting fresh. For many, that means a newly-painted, sparkling clean residence. It’s often more difficult to remove smudges and grime from walls than it would be to just paint them instead. There is something about newly-painted walls that automatically makes them feel cleaner as well.

If your walls are dull, they may feel as though they would need to have them painted themselves before moving any furniture in. On the other hand, if you have painted recently individuals can imagine themselves getting settled right away. If a buyer has to choose between your home and another one that is not move-in ready, fresh paint can definitely give yours the edge.

#7. It can increase your property’s value

As a seller, you’ll want to obtain as much money as possible from your home. However, it isn’t possible to recover all the cost of certain home improvements such as a room addition or remodeling project. Painting is one of the few projects that will nearly always allow you to recover your expenses. It is also one of the most inexpensive improvements, yet can allow you to increase your selling price by as much as $6,000.

#8. Helps it compare favorably to other homes

When meeting with buyers, real estate agents like to give them many options. One way they do this is by printing out several listings for them to look over. That way, they can compare prices, features, and amenities in order to narrow down their selection.

How do you think your home compares with others in its price range? If others appear fresh and clean but yours is dull and drab, odds are that buyers will consider another home more favorably. New paint will help you compete with other sellers in your area. Even so, it is inexpensive enough that you can keep your asking price rather low.

Reasons to Hire a Professional Painting Contractor

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to paint before selling your home. There are also many reasons to hire a home painter:

• To save time, particularly if you are needing to move in a hurry

• Ensuring the proper application

• Protecting carpet, cabinets, sinks, and other fixtures from damage

• Avoiding cleanup

Are you planning to list your Woodinville WA home soon? If so, allow us to help you get everything ready by adding a fresh coat of paint to your walls. We can help you with everything from choosing colors to coordinating a schedule that will best suit your needs. Please contact us today here at Cornerstone Painting to ensure your house is ready to go.