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photo credit: sego

If you are planning on selling your home, you might want to consider repainting the interior. Painting is one of the best ways to dramatically change the space, at a relatively low cost. But, the days of painting every room white are gone. An all-white house can easily be forgotten, since there is nothing to stand out in the mind of buyers. A perfect example of the power of paint would be in the condo or townhouse market. Since most units are identical, often the only thing that can make one unit more memorable than the rest is the color of the walls.

The question is what color paint do we use? The reason white was thought to be the best color is that white will go with everything, allowing the buyers to move right in. However, white is not very warm or inviting. Today’s savvy buyers are looking for more, and the answer is to go with other neutrals. Technically, the only true neutrals are black, white, and gray, which do not appear on the color wheel. The “new” neutrals are attained by mixing opposite colors on the color wheel. They range from beige, or tan, all the way to chocolate brown or slate gray, with a large array of shades in between. It is recommended that for small spaces, you stick with the light to medium value of these colors to create a more spacious-feeling area. And for those large, cold rooms, choose the darkest value of these colors to create a warmer and cozier space.

Creating contrast between wall color and trim color is a wonderful way to highlight architectural detail. Just be sure to keep the trim color the same throughout the home, to retain a sense of conformity. Painting different rooms’ different colors is acceptable, as long as you don’t stray too far in your color choices. That is where the neutrals are such good choices, because they do well together. All paint manufacturers offer a line of neutrals to take away that guesswork. As a home stager, one of my services is to assist sellers with their paint choices. There have been many homes, which after months of sitting on the market, sold quickly with just a simple change of wall color.

So, visit your neighborhood paint store and acquaint yourself with the “new” neutrals.

As a home stager, sellers often ask me about windows. This is the answer I always give: in fifteen years in real estate, I have never heard someone say “the home was too bright.” Here are some pretty good rules when it comes to the windows in your home:

• Heavy drapes are dated, depressing and dust-collectors
• Ruffled valances are too distracting and don’t appeal to everyone
• Sheers are the best bet for letting in light
• Panels are acceptable, as long as they are used to frame the window and not block the light
• Blinds, shutters and shades should always be open for showings
• Windows should be kept clean, inside and out
• Broken seals and glass should be repaired (it will come up in the inspection!)
• Furniture should be pulled away from windows
• Make sure windows open and lock

Buyers will look out windows, so make sure that what they see is a nice view. Take a quick run through your home and check out the view from each window. That dead tree that can’t be seen from the road, but can from the window, needs to be taken out. You might need to relocate the trash cans, or any debris you have stored on the side of your home. If the weather is nice enough, go ahead and open some of the windows. It will help remove stale odors in the home. But, in the case of traffic sounds or noisy neighbors, close them again before showings.

Natural light will make your home even more appealing, so remember to use your windows to the best advantage!