Whenever I meet with a client about staging their house for sale, one of the first questions I get is….Should I paint?  Painting is by far the easiest way to make a property feel brand new.  The challenge for most people is that they think that everything has to be painted white or they’re at the opposite end, where they think their red walls look just fine.

Here’s how I decide when painting with color or leaving existing colors (other than white), will help a house sell.

1) Using paint color to highlight architectural details.  Choosing a color other than white, like the pale blue in the picture above, will allow details like crown molding or custom built-ins to stand out as valuable features to potential buyers.  Buyers will pay more for a house with character, so why not show it off.

2) Adding whimsy or playfulness to a children’s room.  Within reason (meaning no neon green), adding color to a room that will be staged as a nursery or young child’s room will make the room feel light and welcoming to would-be-parents or children.  One of my favorite color schemes is soft pastel yellow for the walls with white ceilings and trim.  Buyers expect color in a children’s room, so give it to them.  It makes it easy for them to envision their own children playing there, which translates into more offers for sellers.

3) Make larger rooms feel more warm and inviting.  This is especially true for over sized living rooms and dining rooms, where people tend to spend a lot of time with family and friends.  You don’t have to repaint the whole room, but it could just be one wall which will act as the focal point for the room.  Where people go wrong is they paint the whole room red, or orange, or green….one wall, accent it with furnishings or accessories, and make sure it coordinates with the other colors in the room.

The next time you are selling a house with no color or too many colors, think of these three guides, and you’ll be well on your way to a faster, more profitable sale.