If you’re considering painting your home before going to sale, don’t pick up the paintbrush just yet – those colours really do count, writes
Yes, you might think that trending jade green would look fabulous in your bedroom, but what if it meant a longer sale time or a lower price for your house? If you’re considering painting your home before going to sale, don’t pick up the paintbrush just yet – according to experts, the colours you choose really do count.
Painting is the simplest, cheapest (and some might say, most effective) large-scale upgrade that you can make. So can you really hack your way to a smoother sale with colour? Here’s what real estate agents have to say about the colours that are most likely to sell your house.
“It does depend on each house but, in general terms, we normally say to people, if in doubt, paint it white because it creates a blank canvas,” says Sarah Tiplady, an award-winning Harcourts real estate agent in Auckland.
“A blank canvas is important because what you want people to do is come in and actually imagine what it’s like to live in it. Imagine their own belongings. Imagine what their life would be like there.
“And we generally say, the three things that really add value are: Literally No 1, paint it white, stage it and then do the landscaping. Because those three things add value without substantial cost.”
So if you’re going to sell, hold off on painting everything Pantone’s 2024 shade, Peach Fuzz, and peel yourself back to a nice crisp neutral.
“Even sometimes with properties that are really highly designed, people have gone really specific with a feature wall painted a dark colour. It can sometimes be polarising,” Tiplady says.
But never fear, maximalists. Wellington real estate agent Alice O’Styke, of Tommy’s, says that as long as you create a good neutral base, you can still make your home “not so cookie-cutter”.
This could look like painting your interior white throughout, with the odd feature wall or element in a non-offensive, lighter shade. That doesn’t mean pastels. Think sage greens, dusty pale blues and warm grey or earth tones.
Don’t forget to repaint your trims in the rooms too. “The odd feature wall can look really nice,” says O’Styke. “And when it’s online, if everything looks the same, you can’t even identify which house is which.
“But if you’ve got something that stands out, they’re like ‘Oh, that’s that house’.”
Another fun and inexpensive way to enhance your home’s appearance to buyers is by simply painting the front door.
For this, you’ll want to use a semi-gloss paint, as these are harder wearing. But which colour to choose? “Some of the classic villas do paint them a high gloss black and that looks very elegant,” Tiplady says.
“I’ve also seen mid-orange or soft pink. It can be a nice way to add a splash of colour, whereas not many people are going to paint their whole house red or the whole house orange.
“I love a coloured door, absolutely,” says O’Styke. “A friend of mine recently painted her place a light blue but has gone for a coloured door. And again, big white trims with the big sash windows. It looks great.”
If you’re convinced all-white is the go but not sure which tone to choose, Tiplady’s favourite white to recommend to her clients for its coverage abilities over other colours is Resene Black White.
It’s a colour that’s also been in Resene’s top five shades for a number of years, according to Resene marketing manager Karen Warman.
To ensure rooms don’t look bland when using white, Warman recommends varying the strength levels of the paint.
“You might use half strength on the walls, full strength on the doors and quarter strength on the ceiling. Colours used on ceilings usually look darker than the same colour on the wall, which is why it’s often best to use a half or quarter strength of your wall colour,” says Warman.
“There is a growing trend to character neutrals, which are neutrals with a little more colour to them, like Resene Half Spanish White. These sorts of hues work well in homes that need a little warming up or a little extra depth and help to make those visiting feel cosy and more at home.”
Davina Harper, Dulux senior brand manager, says: “Whites, greys and neutrals remain popular choices for homes because they appeal to a wide range of different tastes and provide a blank canvas to potential house buyers. Whites and neutrals also go with many other colours, accessories and furniture styles.
“The trick, even with whites and neutrals, is to make sure the colours you choose are cohesive and consider any existing colours in the room.
“Look at a room as one whole canvas, not individual elements that sit apart from one another, everything should work together,” says Harper.
“An all-white colour scheme is a classic look that will help your home look fresh and timeless for years to come. It also suits a wide range of different house styles.”
It’s OK to tone down your interior to a blank canvas but inserting colour at the front door will help to make your home memorable to buyers. So which to choose?
“Think of your front door as one place where you can have a little fun with colour and set the personality for your home,” says Warman. “You need to make sure there is something about your home that is memorable, whether that be a bold front door, colourful planters or other features. Otherwise, all white homes can start to blend into one another.
“For those with more modern homes or who want something a little different, popular options are bright yellow, bright orange, teal, lime greens like Resene Wham and pinks from bold to soft, and coral hues.”