Decor – Colour Me Sold

Being diplomatic is difficult at times when I have to talk about paint colours during a consultation. I often get comments like, “the buyer can paint it the colour they want”, “we lived with this colour and think it is fine to sell the house like this”, or “I know it is red but it is too much work to cover it, they can do it themselves”. In today’s market, most buyers are looking for a turnkey property. They do not want to buy a property that has weeks of work to be done before they can settle in, they want to move in on Saturday, have friends over on Sunday and get back to work on Monday. The Maritz Research staging polls states that 63% of buyers are willing to pay more for a house that is move-in ready.

I just completed a consultation this week with a lovely couple. As soon as I walked into their house I felt like I was entering the 70’s era and luckily they felt like they have been living in the same era and wanted out. I proceeded to show them my 8″ x 10″ painted colour samples and we started working on a plan to have some of their rooms repainted. They were so excited to get started even though they are not listing until next March. Since colour establishes an emotion in all of us; it can portray a positive or negative feeling. Neutralizing the colours in a property for sale is important because the property will appeal to a broader range of buyers. Lighter colours will also make a room feel larger whereas darker colours typically make a room feel smaller.

In genera, choosing a colour can be very difficult. How many times have you painted a room and said, “oh, it’s too pink, too green or too blue; that is not what it looked like on the paint chip at the store”. If I could give you the top 5 colours to use I would but picking colours is not that simple if you do not understand the undertones. When choosing a colour, it is important to take all fixed surfaces, (floors, kitchen/bathroom cabinets, counter tops, fireplace stone, etc.) into consideration and choose a colour that relates to that surface. Lighting also plays a big part when choosing colour and every property will show off a colour differently.

Think of painting as a strategy to sell your home and not as a chore. Working with a professional can save you time and money, remember – paint is cheaper than a price reduction!