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That is the question! We are selling a three year old, nicely maintained condo that is painted entirely in a mustard gold. Some people love it. Others, I am sure, plan to paint it. Should we go ahead and paint the whole place taupe? It seems like a cosmic waste of time and money when the next person will just paint it green or pink or blue. Surely people understand how easy it is to change paint, but maybe it helps take them, mentally, from a more neutral starting point rather than having to undo my paint in their head. Did that make sense?!
A few facts:
1) It is empty so it's easier to paint and give that new look.
2) We are competing with a couple new condos.
3) We are getting few lookers so does paint even matter? Would it help with the pics on-line to get them in? We did just reduce the price by over 4% and I am hoping that will help get people through the door at least.
Any favorite "builder" taupes? One website suggested Benjamin Moore Crown Point Sand. How much does painting a one bedroom 800 square foot condo cost?
I am getting bids right now to paint a 900 sf condo in soCal. They're all over the place! I mean, huge range. I just ran an ad on Craigslist and said I was taking bids and listed what all I wanted done (more than paint in my case) and I'd be at the property yesterday b/t 2-3 and 30 guys showed up. I felt HORRIBLE. There are so many people out of work, you should be able to get a decent price. I am picking the colors and they're getting everything and labor. Good luck!
Oh, and in answer to your question, yes, new paint, no matter if they don't like the color, in a neutral shade makes the place look and feel newer, and it's pretty cheap to do.
Yes it's easy to change paint color, but many people want to be able to move in and repaint down the road. By painting a nuetral (I'd go with a cream rather than taupe--it will make the rooms look much larger) you'll give yourself a larger potential audience. it also gives the home that "new house smell" that home buyers love.
I LOVE that new house smell. I was thinking of repainting the trim in my son's room, just to get the smell.
Hmmm.....so cream, rather than taupe? See, what a slippery slope! There must 8 million shades of creamy taupe-y vanilla.
I never thought of the fact that people might want to paint months or a yea later or something. Interesting!
Hey MsFancyPants, would you like to own a rental condo in Cary, NC? You'd be helping out current and former San Diegans! I hadn't thought about checking craigslist for painters. That's a great tip. Thanks!
I just "taupified" my house for selling, did it myself (took ages, especially over the red walls and the lime green ones--don't ask)--I used Valspar Bell Grove Bluff from Lowes. I like it because it looks different in every room depending on how the light hits it...it's not too dark and did help make the rooms look huge (combined with removing half the furniture, of course!). :-)
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I painted my entire house a kind of soft beige color...I had lots of color before, even murals on a couple of walls because that was what I loved...but I hoped that by neutralzing everything it would increase a chance of a sale. To date (two months now) I have not had even one looker so I am fearing I may be stuck in a beige house for a very long time. (heavy sigh)
Not long ago the general opinion of agents was to neutralize a home for the market. Now with the power of HGtv alot of the agents are saying add some colors, give it some personality, make it stand out ect. After yrs of working with agents I have put the contractor beige up and then went back after it sold and put the colors back. IF the colors are not a "smack ya in the face" color and the walls are clean without damage I would suggest leaving it alone. Probably more important is to declutter and show the finer points of the home, spend the money on a storage unit or carpet cleaners, ect.
Taupe is good. Just like the "little black dress", you can't go wrong with it. And like another person said, I too LOVE the smell of fresh paint. It may turn people on to the house too and ingrain in their brains that the home is updated and without as much work to do as other musty homes.
Let me add that while I did repaint the red room and the lime green room and the pumpkin kitchen (to a soft honey butter color), my agent said it was perfectly fine to leave the purple and aqua bathrooms, the gold dining room, the burnt orange living room, and the cinnamon/western theme bedroom of my 5 yo. (Sheesh, my house sounds horrible, doesn't it? I swear it all looked okay at the time!)
She was more concerned with the main family room, the kitchen, and the "alien green slime color" in my 8yo's br. Plus the areas that had NEVER been painted like hallways and foyer that were in rough shape.
Do you have a realtor, and what is his/her professional opinion?
Taupes seem to have a grey undertone to me. I like creams, ivories, champagnes better.
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I hadn't thought about checking craigslist for painters. That's a great tip. Thanks!
