Neutral Rooms Work for Sellers but Colors are the Hot Topic for Buyers
May 30th, 2008 Categories: Blog Watch, Real Estate News
Practically every real estate agent and staging professional I know suggests neutral (if not white) colors for a ‘fast sale.’
It makes rooms look bigger, imperfections fade and, most of all, it allows perspective buyers to envision their own furniture, their own tastes and their own personality in your space.
But what happens once the contract is signed? Just as neutral facilitated the sale, so color will help anchor new roots and owners. For some, picking colors is second nature but for many of us it can be a crippling, “oh my gosh am I making the right choice” process. Fear no more!
A number of internet sites devoted to paint and color have surfaced recently and two of our favorites are Kate Smith’s and Rachel Perl’s. Smith is a color trend forecaster working on her own line of paint and Perl is a former pet portraitist who now advises residential and commercial clients.
A third site we like, although not specifically about color, asks the bold question: “Black walls: Would you dare?”
Paint is still considered one of the easiest, quickest and cheapest ways to transform a room or a whole house so don’t let your lack of color savvy get in the way - explore, study and just go for it!
Michael
P.S. - The only ‘neutral’ room in my house is the bedroom. A color tour includes forest green, butternut squash, yellow, blue, orange, red, and light green. And yes, it all works thanks to my spouse and managing partner.
I may be in the minority but I think the right color choices enhance and promote the sale of a home. I think it’s easier for people to go neutral because too many color choices make it easy for people to go wrong.
I have found that in selling and even in the apartments I rent out that color on the walls has made homes sell faster and for more. I’ve had tenants tell me that they wanted to rent my apartments because it was the only one without white or cream paint on every surface.
Jessica,
I couldn’t agree with you more but I think ‘neutral’ becomes the path of least resistance for many.
What colors have you found that work really well?
Thanks for the comment.
Michael