If you are preparing your Waterloo Region home for the market then by now you have probably realised that a couple of coats of paint could cover up all kinds of little imperfections and generally help the place better appeal to buyers once it’s being actively shown and so is often a must when it comes to effective homestaging.
But there is more to a project like this than popping down to the local home store for a couple of cans of paint and then slapping it on the walls one weekend afternoon. A new paint job is only going to enhance the perceived value of your home if it’s a good one, so here are some useful tips from the pros to help you execute just that.
Think Carefully About Colour
You no doubt have some pretty strong opinions about the colours you like in your home decor but the fact is that it’s not about you anymore, it’s about just what shows off your home to the best advantage while also appealing to as many different people as possible.
The temptation with this in mind is to just paint everything white (or maybe cream) but as easy as that might be it will also be stark, generic and boring, not the look you are really going for. You should be in the neutral aisle at the paint store for sure, but you can be a little creative. For example, a blue-tinged white can help open up a small living room while a slightly buttery cream can add a warm and welcoming air to a less than exciting kitchen.
Go for the Gloss
Although you probably don’t want to spend any more than you have to painting a home that is not even going to be yours for much longer paying a little extra for washable gloss paint over matte will pay dividends for you as well.
Whether your home is on the market for six weeks or six months, there will be lots of people coming and going to look at it. And lots of them will touch the paintwork. Opting for a washable gloss will mean it’s easier for you to keep up that ‘fresh and clean’ look between showings and gloss paint reflects light in a more flattering manner as well, another bonus.
Test Before You Buy
This is a must do for anyone painting a home whether they intend to sell it or not. The colour that a paint shade looks on a paintchip, or even in the can, is very rarely the one that appears on the wall/door/cabinet and buying up three cans of paint that end up looking like Battleship Grey rather than Soft Grey can be an expensive mistake.
Rather than going home with a paint chip ask for a little sample pot instead. Test the color in an unobtrusive spot and access it in both daylight and under the glare of the electric lights (the colour will change a little) before making a purchasing decision.
Get Good Tools
A paint job can only be as good as the tools used to apply it. Resist the temptation to drag those old brushes and rollers out of the basement and invest in some new ones. As paint brushes age their bristles become unaligned and rollers ‘chip’, both things that can produce uneven, shoddy looking results that are even less appealing thsn the original paint job. So OK, you might save $30 or so by reusing old paint tools but it’s an economy that is really not worth considering.