How to Paint a House Interior to Sell

Most people don't like to paint, but painting your interiors in neutral colors can be an inexpensive way to prep it for sale.

You may love the color of your bathroom or living room, but it may not be the best color to entice a potential buyer to envision themselves and their things in your home. You should always have freshly painted or touched-up walls when you are trying to sell your home anyway, so this is also the time to change the color to appeal to the greatest number of people you can. Interior house painting is one of those things that few people like to do, but it can dramatically increase the appeal of your home and help you sell it.

Instructions

1. Choose colors that are neutral. Light colors are best. They will make your rooms appear larger and will reflect the light in the house better. A home that feels more spacious and has a lot of light will always make a better impression on someone touring your home. Keep in mind that you may have a red sofa and your potential buyer may have a green sofa, or vice versa. If they are going to envision their things working in your home and have your things still look good in your home, a warm neutral paint color that suits them both is best.

2. Light and neutral does not necessarily mean stark white or cream. Visit your local hardware store and locate the interior paint section. You will see thousands of colors. There are literally hundreds of "whites" and "off-whites." Most whites and creams will have another base color in them. Take some of the swatches home and see how they look in your house with natural light.

3. Choose the color based on the room. For example, if you have a room washed in sunlight, you can go a touch darker in color. If you have wood floors that have a reddish hue in the stain, you will want to choose a white or a cream that has a warm base in it to complement your floors. If you have white or cream baseboards in the room, you can match that color and then choose a paint swatch that is in the same color family, just a shade or two darker. You don't want your walls to blend into your baseboards or crown moulding. These are architectural features that help you sell your home, so don't disguise them.

4. Ceilings should be light and bright. If you choose a light color for the room walls, you may want to consider still painting the ceiling white.

Tips & Warnings

• Once you have chosen your colors and you are ready to buy the paint, don't forget the brushes, rollers, tape and anything else you may need to make the painting as crisp and professional as you can.

• If your current paint colors are very dark, put a coat of primer on your walls before you paint them a lighter color.

References

• AZCentral.com: Neutral Paint Colors Help Homes Sell Faster