Paint Before You Sell - A Better Paint Job can Increase the Value of Your Home

Last updated: May 3, 2013


Condo living room with black/metal chair, sofa with pillows, and area rug


Painting your home prior to sale is a cost-effective way to increase the value of the home, and a great way to help you sell it. Research has shown that staged homes tend to sell faster and for higher prices than those that are not. When choosing your colours, try to stick with neutral colours so that potential buyers will not be distracted from the space if their personalities don’t match yours. Also, by removing wallpaper that is outdated or has distracting designs and applying a fresh coat of paint, you can increase the value of your home substantially.

A fresh coat of paint is one the easiest and least expensive ways to spruce up your home prior to selling. Here are some points to remember when thinking about painting prior to selling your home:

  • If you don’t want to paint your entire house, focus on just the high-traffic areas. Make sure the entrance, main hallways, kitchen and family rooms look their best buy applying a fresh coat of paint. These are the areas that potential buyers spend the most time in and are therefore likely to notice any imprecation.
  • Try to paint in neutral colours. While many sellers believe that the buyer will end up re-painting, this is often not the case. Most home buyers are looking for a house that they can move into right away with little to no renovations.
  • If you have rooms which are currently painted bright colours or themed (sports, cartoon characters, etc.) consider re-painting them as these types of rooms are not for everyone and may not match the personalities of your potential buyers.
  • Don’t forget the exterior of your house. The first impression of a potential home buyer is critical and a fresh paint job can be the difference between a good and a bad first impression. Adding a fresh coat of paint to the exterior of your house can take years off the look of the house.
  • Make sure you paint prior to listing your home. Potential buyers usually determine if they want to see a house based on the pictures of the home. If you paint after listing your home, make sure that you update the photos in the listing.
  • Know when to hire help. If you’re too busy to paint yourself, consider hiring a painting company to complete the work. If you let them know that your intention is to sell the home, they will usually be able to provide you with cost-saving options.