Getting house ready to sell
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive August 2004:
Getting house ready to sell
We have made the decision that we will be putting the house up for sale in the spring. With several months to get the house 100% ready for selling, I am looking for advice.
Do I paint everything white?
I have a red dining-room and the kids rooms are wild and fun. Addison's room is red, blue and yellow with nascar theme. Jessica's is two purple walls/ 2 pink walls. Should I paint them white?
I have started a list so far I have:
~replace all door hardware (they are all mismatched)
~new front door
~landscaping
~new showerhead in kids bath
~pack up clutter
We want to have the house in tip top shape for selling. I am excited about the prospect of moving to a slightly bigger home. Any advice on preparing the house to sell is greatly appreciated!
Yvonne
I would probably paint the rooms a more mild color. Not necessarily white but maybe an eggshell or real calming color scheme. Not only does it make the room look larger, but it allows people to visualize this house as theirs. Definitly pack up clutter and put family pictures up also. The less in the house the big and cleaner it feels. Also make sure the cupboards and closets are tidy. Goodluck 
I know some people would say that wall color doesn't matter, but I definitely prefer white walls when looking at a home.
Ditto Truestori
I would go with lighter walls. I have heard that true white on the walls can be too stark so maybe a cream or, as Stori suggested, eggshell. Make sure the carpets (if you have them) are spotless. That can be a huge problem because no one wants to replace or hassle with cleaning them. Don't forget the porch area. Lots of plants or flowers are welcoming. Good luck!!
Post pictures of the rooms..then we can critique better! Honestly I think it opens your market if the rooms are all white, but if they are super cute I might leave one of the two painted. As for the red, hmmm...if it is a flat paint I might leave it, but if it is shiny I would paint it. in general the cleaner it looks the faster it sells, replace and clean lights, make sure hallways are repainted or very clean, I also agree with carpets needing attention.
First thing is check curb view. Look at your front yard, door, front of house. Do any cleaning up, repainting, mulching, replanting that will improve the first look people get of your house. I would definitely repaint the kids rooms. As for the red dining room, I am assuming your furniture, rugs, etc., are all part of the theme, so don't repaint unless a realtor tells you that you should. Not only declutter, but put anything really personal out of sight - great grandpa's moosehead, great grandma's vase, stuff that is unusual and out of the "norm". Definitely declutter kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets, closets. Cluttered storage areas look smaller.
I have read to bake cookies or make some herbal tea before lookers are coming, to make a pleasant, homey smell in the air. Do be sure all light fixtures work and have working bulbs, and think about getting either daylight or pinkish bulbs that cast a softer and more flattering light.
My red dining-room is a 50's theme complete with booth and coca cola memorabilia. I imagine I would have most of that packed up prior to listing the house.
Our carpets are spotless (they were installed less than 6 months ago and I have a steam cleaner).
The cabinets I am not too worried about (I am very organized and everything is neat and orderly in the cabinets).
Its just the fact that the house has a lot of color. I guess I will be painting everything the dreaded white
The outside of house will be painted and new roof installed shortly before listing.
Thanks for all the great ideas!
Keep them coming.
Yvonne
Yvonne, please see my thread on carpet cleaners and post there!!!!! Thanks!
Karen...
I love my Hoover Steamvac purchased recently from Sears for $179.00. It was recommended in one of the consumer guides as best pick for carpet steam cleaners. We are very pleased with it. We have used it for one animal mess and it had it up immediately.
Yvonne
Thanks!!!!
If you can't bake then light a few nice candles in some of the rooms to make the house smell nice.
Once you paint don't hang pictures back up on walls the empties the house the better because people will see their things instead of yours in their head. And like everyone else said make sure all little clutter things are packed away and out of view and if you can put stuff in your car to just get it out of the house. If you have a rack that holds videos put it away. No stray shoes in closets put them in a box away. If you can see the floors in the closets do that. If your closets are full of cloths take some out and put them in your car when someone is coing to view. Never have a closet look to small for all of someones things.
I just did this 2 yrs ago and the less they see the better even if your car is crammed full of stuff.
Post pictures.
When it comes to the wall paint I say leave it the color it is it shows the people the rooms are OK bold that they look good.
I don't know if you have to paint. The new owners are going to want to paint anyway. If the walls are bad then you might want to paint.
The walls are not bad. I am one of those people who love color and faux finishes so my house is full off them. My bedroom has a terra cotta color old age stucco look. That I am leaving as is because so many people have complimented it. It is kinda neutral in color anyway.
I guess I should paint both kids rooms white. Unless someone has a boy that loves nascar and a girl into pink and purple, the first impression will be oh no I have to paint those rooms.
The dining room red wall will be easy to paint white so I guess I am going to home depot and buying a ton of white paint
I just put a fresh coat of white paint in hallway and laundry room. It definitely brightens up the place. I just have to plan this so I am not living in a white house for too long. I can't stand white walls. I guess it is from living in apartments. As soon as we bought a house I went crazy with color. My husband pointed out that by having everything white the buyer could think how easy it would be to paint whatever color they want (instead of worrying about priming the red wall for example).
The "To Do" list continues...
Yvonne
The only houses I saw that that were newly painted were new houses. Isn't it too much work? and the smell... Everytime I paint I get sick...
I mean it might be be necessary, but I wonder if it will be necessary? Unless the room looks kind of dirty.
I saw color houses. barbie rooms. I think people only care about the main rooms not the kids rooms so much. Unless there are holes in the wall or dents.
What I am trying to say is if I wanted a house it doesn't matter if it was freshly painted or not. Because I want my own colors when I move in. I look for nice walls (no holes) and if i have to rip out the kitchen and bathrooms. (Hopefully)
One thing I hate is wall paper. I once spent a week stripping wall paper from a small hallway. I hate wall paper. All the houses around here are old so wall paper hides bad walls. But that is just me.
I agree with Feona. I wouldn't paint unless it really needs it. The buyers are going to do over the house the way they like it anyway so don't kill yourself. Besides, they may like the kids' rooms!
Just a bit of input - as far as a buyer, or you too for that matter, priming the red wall - Kilz works miracles, not only for light over dark colors, but for dark over light as well. You can have it tinted the same color as your paint and prime the wall with it and only paint the wall once.
I learned the hard way after painting Jen's room a gorgeous red, over the *baby* pink she had in there. We didn't use tinted Kilz and it took FOUR coats of paint to cover it nicely.
I've also been wondering if we shouldn't change that room color at some point, when we decide to sell.
I'm interested to see how your selling strategies work. Good luck!
Karen,
I love Kilz! Red is one of the hardest colors to paint. I used a tinted kilz as a base coat in my dining room and still had to do two coats of the red. I love my red dining room and will likely have another in new home. That is unless we make a family room into my 50's diner
We love our diner and it is fun.
I am undecided on painting kids rooms but will be painting living room and dining room white (they are opened up to eachother so I am sure it will make it look much bigger). I have black and white tiled countertops in kitchen thus the reason for white. Off white or cream would not look good with kitchen. My kitchen is also opened up to dining room and living room.
I will keep ya posted. Thanks for all the great advice!
Yvonne
P.S...I have to tell you what my daughter said. We were standing in line to buy gallon of white paint and she said:
"So mommy you are going to paint most of the house white right?
I said "yes, it looks that way."
She replied "So probably the house we buy will have white walls?
I said "well, more than likely".
She said "Well, thats just dumb. You are painting our house white and when we move you will be painting over any white walls in new house. I guess you will be the painting queen".
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