Can you believe it’s October?? Yeah, me either. Kinda hard to believe how quickly the weirdest year ever has gone. But, then again, some days seem to be 72 hours long…especially if you are homeschooling.
One thing that has been very surprising to me is how the real estate market here is still chugging along. Houses are still going under contract within hours of being listed. I’ve been busy staging homes, mostly occupied staging.
Staging your home to sell is no easy feat.
I say that from experience, we’ve done it 6 times now. Yes, we’re crazy. Maybe that’s why I have to pause and think every time I go to write my address, LOL!
I’ve also helped many other homeowners get their home ready for the market. Choosing a different paint color is usually the first step in preparing a home. If you are going to shell out the money to paint the entire house, you should get the color right. And this is where things get tricky.
Personal preferences come into play and homeowners do not want their homes to look boring. Then, there’s the misconception that any “neutral” will do. Nope!
Taking the fixed elements (cabinetry, flooring, countertops) into account is crucial when picking the perfect paint color. You want everything to blend and appeal to the most amount of home buyers.
So, back to personal preferences. If you really love red, I want you to have that in your home. BUT, it just can’t be while it is on the market. Wait until you are in your new home. Then, paint your walls whatever color makes you happy.
When it comes to selling your home, red is a paint color that people either love or hate.
It’s gender and generational specific, the exact opposite of what you want your house to be when selling.
When my client asked me to do a staging consultation, the first thing I mentioned is painting the kitchen. Here is what it looked like before
Here’s a pro tip:
When you have a lot of wood tones in a room, as in this kitchen or a dining room, it’s best to use a paint color other than red or yellow. These paint colors tend to bring out the natural tones in the wood and make the room feel dark and heavy. Paint colors with a blue or green undertone do the opposite. Here is the neutral color I chose for this kitchen, it has a green undertone:
Notice how the entire room is calmer and your eyes feel more relaxed? That’s what you want buyers to feel when they see your house online. Real estate photos are crucial when selling your home, now more than ever!
Speaking of real estate photos, I usually never recommend using red paint or red accessories (pillows, bedding, vases, candles, etc) when staging. Red is very difficult to photograph and your eyes will dart around from one red accessory to the next while viewing the photos. Therefore, the potential buyer will only see red and not the entire room. They will remember the house as the “red house”. This may sound crazy, but it’s true! I’ve seen it happen many times and I’ve even done it myself while house hunting.
Need help choosing the perfect paint color for selling your home?
You can get the paint colors I recommend for each room of your home in my Perfect Paint Colors guide.! These are on trend (not trendy!) paint colors that will work well in almost any room of your home. It costs less than a gallon of paint and will eliminate the frustration and doubt when choosing a paint color.
I realize many people love the color red and I’m not saying it’s a “bad” paint color. I’m just not recommending it when selling your home!
I hope this tip helps! If you want more tips and tricks on staging your home to sell, don’t forget to download my FREE Simple Home Staging Guide. And if you want to save this for future reference, be sure to pin this for later!
Happy Staging!
Kristin