Paint Colors That Sell

Did you know that paint color makes a difference in the way prospective buyers see a home and the price it brings when sold? While paint color doesn’t matter to every homebuyer, the right paint colors will get your home more attention and can help bring more value to the sale. If you are considering selling a St. Louis or St. Charles County area home, it will pay to learn which paint colors to choose.

While we occasionally question the results of Zillow’s “zestimates”, they’ve done some great research on over 32,000 photos of homes sold around the nation. They looked at how certain paint colors impacted price on average when compared with similar white-painted homes. The results were intriguing. So before you hit the local paint store, here are the paint colors that statistics show help sell homes and bring more value for the sale. 

Home Interior Paint Colors With High Value

Light and medium shades of muted blue have been found to be especially valuable throughout most of the home. In the kitchen soft gray-blue netted an additional $1,809. For bedrooms, homes with medium muted blues saw a premium of $1,856. Even in the dining room shades of slate blue and pale gray-blue netted on average more than $1,926 when compared to white-painted dining rooms. The biggest paint color value found was $5,440 more for the average sale price in homes that had light blue or soft periwinkle bathrooms.

In the living room the colors that brought the most value were shades of light brown. Homes with pale taupe, light beige or oatmeal-colored living rooms sold for $1,926 more than similar homes with white living rooms. 

-> See the full list of things to do to prepare your home to sell. <-

Exterior Home Paint Colors with High Value

You are probably wondering, what about gray? We are seeing gray everywhere these days as it is growing in popularity and value. So here it is: homes with an exterior painted in light gray and beige sold for about $3,496 more than other popular colors like medium brown and tan.  

Front door color affects curb appeal and has value too. Once again, blue and gray colors lead the way. Homes with navy or slate gray front doors netted on average $1,514 more for the home sale.

Paint Colors That May Deter Homebuyers

Now that you know what colors statistically brought more value from a home sale, let’s discuss colors to avoid when selling a home. More specifically, lack of color was detrimental. It was shown that homes with white bathrooms sold for an average of $4,035 less than other similar homes. So while white-washing an entire home to make it appear clean and bright may seem like the right thing to do, one is better off using light, muted colors as opposed to no color at all. But don’t go crazy, homes with dark colors sold for an average of $2,031 less than expected.

What To Do

If you are thinking of putting a home on the market, consult with experienced local real estate agents like those on The Boehmer Team. We work with home stagers and photographers to make homes look their best and can help you evaluate the current condition of your home through the eyes of the home buyers we work with every day. By consulting an agent you may find that you don’t have to do as much work as you thought to get your home ready for sale.  And if you do need work done, an experienced real estate team will have a list of reputable home repair and painting contractors to help get the work done right.

Is moving on your mind? Contact TheBoehmer Team.

Reference: http://zillow.mediaroom.com/2017-06-01-Homes-with-Blue-Bathrooms-Sell-for-5-400-More-than-Expected

Preparing A Home To Sell

If you have a St. Louis or St. Charles County, Missouri area home to sell, you’re probably thinking of how to get the most value for your home. While the current sellers market is beneficial for home sellers looking to get the most from their home sale, there is more you can do to ensure your home brings top dollar. We’ve put together a list of things to do to improve the condition of your home so that it looks its best in pictures and brings the most interest and offers when your home is listed for sale.

Create A Plan

Imagine you are a homebuyer and walk through your home. Write down anything that needs cleaning, fixing or updating. Consider any items that need to be sold, donated or thrown away to make your home feel more spacious. Get advice from a REALTOR who can see your home with fresh eyes through the lens of experience.

Prepare The Home Exterior

The front exterior of your home and its curb appeal will be the first things potential homebuyers see. So you must make a good impression to elevate the value of the home in the eyes of homebuyers.

• Touch up the paint on the home's exterior, including trim, doors and shutters.
• Inspect the roof and make repairs as needed.
• Check that the gutters and downspouts are free of debris.
• Wash the windows.
• Repair any cracks in the driveway and sidewalks.
• Make sure the lawn is mowed and that landscaping and trees are trimmed.
• Remove any debris, clippings, toys, trash, or pet droppings from the yard.
• Check front door, doorbell, address number, welcome mat and mailbox.
• Add color with seasonal flowers or shrubs if time allows.

Prepare The Home Interior

Before we discuss to-do’s for particular spaces in a home, let’s look at items throughout the home that need to be addressed before it is put on the market.

• Completely clean your home or hire a home cleaning service.
• Stow away valuables in a safe place.
• Repair any cracks or holes in walls and clean any marks or touch-up the paint.
• Repair or replace any torn screens.
• Clean carpeting and draperies for best appearance and freshness. 
• Clean and inspect the fireplace and make any necessary repairs.
• Lubricate squeaky doors, windows, and cabinets.
• Replace any burned out light bulbs.
• Pre-pack and store extra items or out-of-season items like holiday décor and clothes.
• If the basement or attic is a functioning part of the house, make sure the area is clean and in good repair.

Prepare The Kitchen

The kitchen has become one of the most important rooms in the house. It is a place that homeowners spend a lot of time cooking and bonding with their family. So it is a place that homebuyers pay special attention to.

• Be sure cabinets, refrigerator, ceiling fans and vent hoods are wiped down and clean.
• Clear the counters of any appliances. If an appliance must remain, be sure it is clean.
• Make sure the floors are clean. . If the floor looks old and dull, consider replacing the flooring.
• Organize your cabinets because potential buyers will often open the doors. 
• Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink.

Prepare The Bathroom

Homebuyers will want to ensure any bathrooms in the home are in good working condition. Of course you’ll want to be sure that the bathrooms in your home are as clean as possible. You should also check the following.

• Replace old caulking around bathtub and sinks.
• Repair or replace any leaky faucets.
• Unclog and sanitize drains to remove odors.
• Keep the toilet seat lids closed.
• Keep fresh towels in the bathrooms at all times.

Prepare The Garage

If the home you are selling has a garage, you’ll want to prepare it to look its best for the home sale as well.

• Clean and organize items currently in the garage leaving room to store any additional items from inside the home.
• Any items stored in the garage from inside the home should be stored as neatly as possible.
• Remove any stains from the garage floor with degreasers found at your local home repair store.
• Remove any cobwebs from the ceiling of the garage and from around the doors.
• Make sure garage door openers and lights are working.

While you can’t control where your home is located, or the value of comparable properties your home will compete with when it is listed for sale, you can control the condition of your home. Using this list and talking to an experienced real estate agent like those on The Boehmer Team will ensure that you do everything possible to make the most from your home sale. Thinking of selling? Contact The Boehmer Team to make it a better experience. Still need more info? CLICK HERE to learn the Home Selling Process.