TO PAINT, OR NOT?

Before we dig deeper into deciding whether as a seller you should paint your house prior to putting it on the market, let’s look at some of the fiercest new paint colors of 2023.

You do want to know the trendy new paint colors for 2023, right? We did too, so thought Benjamin Moore & Sherwin-Williams could help.

First though, the big expose! In no specific order, we’ll start with Sherwin Williams. If you haven’t already searched yourself, Sherwin Williams 2023 Color of The Year is: Redend Point. It’s considered a soulful-yet-subtle hue and depending on your color palette of style, it doesn’t disappoint.

Figuring there could be five or six trending colors, we were quite amazed to find out the favored colors are pretty much an entire rainbow. Really. There are oodles of colors in their prediction. The colors are so fun and unique, we’re going to share a few of the actual paint color names with you: Goldfinch, Nugget (they probably mean gold, but chicken does come to mind), Likeable Sand, Reddened Earth not to be confused with Redend Point, Skyline Steel, Antler Velvet (which sounds also like it would make a really cool cake flavor), Fabulous Grape, Kale Green, Blue Peacock, and of course, Pure White.

Hold your gasps as we pull back the paint-drops to reveal the next brilliant color (paint roll please)… The Benjamin Moore Color of the Year 2023 is: Raspberry Blush. “A vivacious shade of coral tinged with pink; Raspberry Blush enlivens the senses with electric optimism”.

Benjamin Moore was a bit more modest in numbers for their announcement of color trends yet still just as inspiring with the paint name expressing the mood of each color. Behind their number one choice, we have also been introduced to Conch Shell, Cinnamon, Wenge, Savannah Green, New Age, Starry Night Blue, and alas, North Sea Green. While a couple of those sound like a great name for a cocktail, none are lacking in statement of complete room transformation.

However, to be safe, when a client asks what color is trendy to paint their house, we tell them to pick whatever color they want. Because quite honestly, one of the most common questions real estate agents get is, “Should I repaint my house before selling?”

Read on to see if something helps trigger a definite answer for you.

The condition of your paint matters: this could mean buyers won’t be quick to purchase a home that may need some work. If you've noticed chipped and fading paint, it's likely a clever move to repaint your homes interior and/or exterior to gain a competitive advantage in today’s market. In short, painting your exterior and main rooms of the interior a neutral color can help attract buyers and boost your sale price.

EXTERIOR

Curb appeal is essential for making a great first impression with buyers; it sets the tone for further expectations of your homes condition. Fresh paint can go a long way with boosting potential buyers’ first glance.

CAN I ADD THE COST OF PAINTING INTO MY SELL PRICE?

Repainting the exterior of a house can be costly - especially if you hire a professional to paint. And naturally, you’ll want to recover a return from your sale proceeds. The good news is that on average, painting the exterior of a home boosts home value and does net a return on investment.

HIRING A PRO

Averaging the cost for a professional to paint could run anywhere between $3,700 up to $15,000 or even more. Several things will determine the cost: trim, prep work, how many stories, minimal detail work or a lot of detail, plus the type of siding.

DIY EXTERIOR

If you’ve decided to pull out the coveralls and paintbrush to give your best shot at painting to save money, we are rooting for you!

Keep in mind, your main expense to do the job is the paint itself. The price of paint per gallon can range anywhere from $20 to $70. To calculate how many gallons you’ll need, measure the exterior walls by square feet (length x width = square footage). Don’t forget to measure the eaves, dormers, gables, and trim. Include the square footage of a covered front porch, back porch, and detached garage if those require a repaint.

It's also important to factor in the cost of materials such as brushes, rollers, drop cloths, sprayers as well as prep supplies that could include caulking supplies, sandpaper, and a power washer. Speaking of which, sometimes a good power washing might be all a house needs to return its shine.

From cost saving to repairs and more, consider the following tips when repainting a house for resale.

Choose the same paint color. If you choose a color that's too different from your current shade, chances are you'll need to pay for more than one coat (for proper coverage).
Do repairs before painting. Replace rotted clapboards and trim and never paint over rotted wood.
Consider adding a pop of color to your front door to make your home stand out attractively. This adds visual appeal to your entrance way and it's also an inexpensive option when you don't have the budget or time to paint the homes entirety.

INTERIOR PAINT

If your goal is to make your home look sparkling, new, and more attractive for showings and open houses go ahead and give the main interior rooms a coat of paint. A neutral color on the walls can also give the appearance of more square footage.

RESALE VALUE AND ROI

Repainting interior walls increases home value by an average of 5% and nets an ROI of 107%. That means a home valued at $400,000 could increase in value by $20,000.

To take on a large home renovation before listing isn't always the best idea, but there is value in taking a weekend to paint a couple of rooms. While ‘outer-space-sun-bright-orange’ might be someone's favorite color, you wouldn’t normally see that inside many homes. So, painting that orange wall a beige or even a gray makes a big impact because the buyers aren't seeing future projects.

INTERIOR PAINT COST

If you decide to repaint the entire house it could cost between $5,000 to $19,000.

The price you'll pay for interior painting depends on several factors, including:

The size of each room
The number of rooms that need painting
How many coats of primer and paint are needed (one gallon covers 400 square feet)
The total interior square footage
The height of your ceiling (high cathedral ceilings will cost you extra)
Service rates in your area

If your walls haven't seen a paintbrush in the last seven to ten years, it may be time to consider some fresh paint. Through the years, walls tend to soak up moisture and grease stains, plus there’s fading from the sun filtering through the windows, and the walls take on dirt, scuffs marks, and fingerprints.

A deep cleaning of interior walls can sometimes remove dirt marks and stains, but if you notice chipping and peeling...sanding and painting are in your future.

When repainting your house before selling, the following tips are something to keep in mind:

For flawed walls, use flat paint. If you use an eggshell, satin or semi-gloss paint, flaws will be highlighted by the shine. When walls have imperfections like cracks or dents, the flat paint is more forgiving.
Use quality paint. Paint isn’t the item to skimp on. Spending more money on a better-quality paint that includes a primer, you can get the job done in one shot, ultimately saving both money and time. The cheaper paint could leave you circling the room two to three times just to cover the walls.
Paint the entire wall. the paint on the wall has slightly faded through the years compared to the paint that has been stored in its can. And with that, spot painting rarely works.

There you have it; To Paint or Not.

Is it worth the time and money to paint your house before selling? If you do in fact have both the time and money, and your paint isn’t looking so chic, go for it! Painting is one of the easiest projects to take on before selling.