Freshen Up Your Exterior Paint Before Your Home Hits the Market

• A professional exterior painting project can be the magnet that pulls potential buyers through the door.
• Curb appeal can go a long way once your home hits the market to not only build interest in the property, but it could even boost your asking price.
• Stick to the best exterior painting colors that are neutral and welcoming––you don’t want to select hues that are going to alienate potential buyers.

There is a lot of prep work that goes into selling your home––the paperwork, the cleaning, the packing, the relocating. It can be a time-consuming and arduous process to not only set yourself up in a new place to call home, but to make sure you find buyers quickly so your home isn’t sitting on the market for too long.

It may seem counterintuitive to spend any money on a property that you’re saying good-bye to. However, a professional exterior painting project to refresh the maintenance and aesthetic of your soon-to-be former home can help your chances of attracting buyers so you can focus on your next chapter. A quality paint project could even help sell your home at a higher asking price. A listing with high curb appeal can be especially helpful if you’re looking to put your home on the market during a slow buying season or at a time when the real-estate market isn’t favoring sellers.

The team at CertaPro Painters® knows just how influential a flawless exterior coat of paint can be for potential buyers. You may have a lot of questions about what paint colors are best to appeal to the masses. CertaPro Painters’® color consultants can help advise you on exterior painting palettes that can make your home match its asking price and not come across as dramatic or off-putting.

The quality of your home’s exterior is the first impression buyers have of your home. It can make or break people’s perceptions of the property before viewing the interior. Read on for some of the best exterior paint colors to help sell a home–especially if you’re a homeowner who knows they’ll soon be putting their home on the market.

Make It Move-In Ready

Yes, some buyers are certainly in the market for fixer-uppers that can be customized to their taste, but that mentality isn’t for everyone. A lot of buyers are looking for move-in-ready homes. Don’t be afraid to have a professional exterior painting project completed for fear that buyers may not like the colors you choose. Instead, make thoughtful color selections that are fresh and pleasing to a general audience. It’s best to play within a neutral exterior color palette.

“When painting to sell, your home’s exterior shouldn’t be too dramatic or niche in its color scheme,”  says Paige NeJame, owner of CertaPro Painters® of the South Shore and Boston. “A neutral paint color like greige can be an excellent exterior color. It’ll be fresh, yet subtle enough for new buyers to entertain the idea of buying your home.”

Greige is a mix of grey and beige paint colors. In fact, greige is taking the design world by storm. It’s a popular neutral that’s been popping up all over both exterior and interior color palettes, and is loved due to its versatility. It’s a smart choice for a professional exterior painting project for homeowners about to list their home for sale. Greige is such a universally loved neutral.

Look at Benjamin Moore’s (HC-104) trimmed with an off-white Elephant Tusk (OC-8) for some exterior inspiration. The former is part of Benjamin Moore’s Historic Color collection of 191 time-honored hues that work in both traditional and contemporary spaces. The colors are inspired by America’s historic landmarks, but can also make your home’s exterior a beautiful landmark in the neighborhood!

Elephant Tusk offers subtle nuances of white that suit tranquil, serene environments as well as create color-enhancing accents for dynamic spaces. We love them together for a professional exterior painting project ahead of a sale, and we think your future buyers would agree.

A Warm Welcome With Wheat

While we love a bright, sunny yellow exterior, a super vibrant hue can be off-putting for some buyers. We suggest going more toward buttery hues that are both warm and inviting. Take a look at Sherwin-Williams’ Whole Wheat (SW 6121) for some hue cues. It’s a bit gold, a bit beige, and a touch of yellow.

A wheat hue works well for an exterior painting project because it compliments natural materials like stone and dark wood tones that may already be a part of your exterior landscape. It also pairs well with dark browns and gray-blues that you can incorporate into secondary or accent colors for your painting project. They all play within the neutral space that won’t turn off buyers.

The fall months aren’t known to be the best for sellers. People are settling back into their school routines and may not be inclined to begin a moving process with winter right around the corner. You do have the benefit of less competition on your side if you must list during the fall, and a wheat color scheme can bring some major autumnal feelings to your buyers. Wheat hues look so beautiful with fall reds and oranges, which can help get buyers in the door during what is otherwise a slow season. Keep that lawn in order too––a wheat paint color will glow next to all that green.

Draw Attention (The Good Kind) With Blue

Blue is no stranger to the exterior space. A deep blue exterior can have a nautical, serene feeling or a light blue can feel bright and fresh. Blue hues are great for people who want some color, but still want to play in a neutral space for wide appeal. Blues can bring a lot of personality and enhance standing architectural elements while not be an overwhelming presence on your street. They are definitely at the top of the list for the most appealing exterior house colors.

Take a look at Slate Tile (SW 7624) or Steely Gray (SW 7664), both by Sherwin-Williams, for some cool blue hues with gray undertones. The combination together would be a great option for an exterior painting project, and would look sharp with a colorful pop of color for the door. How about Decisive Yellow (SW 6902)? Don’t be afraid to add that fun pop to the front door. A colorful front door isn’t going to make or break a sale.

For a lighter and brighter option, check out Poolhouse (SW 7603) or Dockside Blue (SW 7601). Both hues are just as their namesake states––reminiscent of the shore or perfect for a cozy suburban cul-de-sac. Any blue hue you choose will go well with a white trim and pop of color of your choosing in places like the front door, window planters, or shutters.

Something like Van Deusen Blue (HC 165), by Benjamin Moore, or Smoky Blue (SW 7604), by Sherwin-Williams, are good options if you want to go deeper and more nautical. Again, a white trim would look perfect alongside any blue exterior. The next generation of homeowners that live in the home will have no problem personalizing a blue exterior with pops of their favorite color if they choose to make some upgrades of their own.

Tried and True White

White has reigned supreme for exterior painting colors for quite some time. It’s a fresh and clean color to build a palette around for a professional exterior painting project. It’s also a smart choice if you’re about to put your home on the market. Potential homebuyers will view your white paint job as a blank slate for them to make their own. It has a timeless appeal.

Take a look at Cloud White (967) by Benjamin Moore. It’s part of their Classic Color Collection that they deem as timeless, elegant, usable colors all the time, every time. The hues that are part of this collection are ones that consumers and professionals have enjoyed for years and are as timeless as they move forward––your buyers won’t have to make any exterior upgrades knowing that the current exterior color isn’t going out of style anytime in the foreseeable future. It’s a safe bet that would complement any style of home with its creamy, yellow undertones.

Don’t want to commit to an exterior painting project, but still want a little something done to spruce up your exterior ahead of listing? The team at CertaPro Painters® can help with services like power washing, staining and stucco repairs to get things looking great ahead of showings. Giving the exterior of your home some love before you present it to potential buyers will show that your home has been cared for and well-maintained throughout the years. Knowing that will instill some serious trust in the property, which is important for anyone considering making an offer.

Let the team at CertaPro Painters® help get your home in shape to hit the market. Get in touch today at 1-800-689-7271 or schedule online to get a free estimate for a professional exterior painting project. CertaPro Painters® can handle updates to the home you’re leaving so that you can focus on what’s next.