By Marilyn Kennedy Melia
CTW Features
They may not say they want a home because it has spotless walls and pristine moldings.
But consciously or unconsciously, buyers are influenced by the condition and color of walls. Agents often recommend painting to prep a home for sale.
While a fresh coat of paint can yield a good return in terms of a higher sales price, four walls multiplied by several rooms can add up to a tidy sum, especially when professionals do the painting.
The average cost for a professional paint job for a basic room is $3.14 — $6.44 per square foot, according to the website Homewyse.com.
Before ordering gallons of that notable neutral, beige, and calling the painters, it’s often worth the effort to first simply wash the walls.
“Many marks or stains can be removed using a mild detergent-water mixture,” Deborah Zimmer of the Paint Quality Institute says.
If that doesn’t do the trick, console yourself with the fact that a quality paint job should last for many years.
“A kitchen or bathroom may need to be painted more often than, say, a master bedroom,” Zimmer points out.
It may not be necessary to repaint walls simply because they are not the beige-like neutral most real estate agents prefer, says Amy Panos, deputy editor of Better Homes and Gardens.
Any neutral shade provides a consistent visual backdrop that makes everything in a space flow together in a pleasing fashion, Panos says.
“Just about any color used in a large enough amount that it appears dominant, but not jarring, qualifies as neutral,” she adds.
Still, some colors don’t have popular appeal. A BHG reader poll found that orange is the least-liked color, followed by black and violet.
The foyer, dining room and adult bedroom are the places where neutral shades are most necessary, according to the survey.
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