Fresh coat
of paint can help sell home
If
you are about to put your house on the market, consider sprucing
it up with a fresh coat of paint before putting up the "For
Sale" sign. This relatively inexpensive investment will enhance
your home's "curb appeal," its first impression on a prospective
buyer. And real estate professionals agree that a good first
impression is critically important when selling any home.
According
to the Paint Quality Institute, a quality paint job imparts
the kind of well maintained appearance to a home that gives
it a distinct selling advantage. Consider, too, that a better
looking house usually brings a higher sale price. As a result,
when selling your home, repainting is really more like an
investment than an expense.
You
may choose to hire a painting contractor, or to paint the
house yourself. Regardless of who does the work, however,
it is crucial to do the painting in a way that will have high
perceived value to prospective buyers. To that end, here are
some tips:
Use
a top quality paint ?
then promote the completion date and quality of the job in
the sales literature and ads for your home. A recently applied,
high quality acrylic latex paint, for example, can last 10
years or more compared to three or four years for ordinary
paints. That translates into many years of freedom from maintenance
for prospective buyers, a very attractive inducement.
When
selecting a color, be conservative.
White
and neutral colors are often the safest choices, since they
will appeal to the greatest number of prospective buyers.
Remember, when selling your home, your goal is to create a
"wide net" for interested prospects, and not to create the
most striking paint scheme in your neighborhood.
Don't
stop with the siding --
paint doors, trim and window frames, too. Freshly painted
details like these will not only contribute to the home's
well-maintained appearance, but when tastefully done, they
can add valuable character as well.
Include
quality surface preparation in the work.
This will produce the best appearance, and add to the life-expectancy
of the paint job.
Finish
painting before putting the home on the market.
It
is always best to avoid the appearance that the painting is
being done just to command a higher selling price... even
if that is the case.
And
don't think this sales advice applies only to houses made
of wood. Homes with aluminum siding, vinyl siding or brick
can also be successfully painted. In fact, a coat of flat
(rather than satin or semi-gloss) paint on aluminum siding
will even help conceal minor dents and other surface imperfections
on the home's exterior.
So,
if you are thinking about selling your home, don't throw away
your paint brush. Picking it up might just be the best thing
you can do.
For
more information on paints and painting, visit the Paint Quality
Institute's Web site at www.paintquality.com.
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