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Carole Goeas was hoping her condo in Alexandria, Virginia, would have a high price when she marketed it in March. But when her real estate agent suggested that she enhance the property's appeal by adjusting it with "Burnt Clay" paint, she hesitated.

"I hated the name of the painting and I would never have chosen it," says Goeas. But his agent, Chris Fischer of McEnearney Associates, was right. The repainted condo sold in just 10 days at the $ 600,000 listing price.

The color, from Behr, "gives the condo an appearance twice as big, especially thanks to the contrast of bright white trim," says Goeas, a political fundraising consultant.

Painting your home before it goes on sale may be essential to sell it faster and at a better price, says Dan DiClerico, smart home expert for HomeAdvisor, a home improvement platform in New York.

Painting your home before it goes on sale may be essential to sell it faster and at a better price, says Dan DiClerico, smart home expert for HomeAdvisor, a home improvement platform in New York. (Photo: Getty Images)

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"Although it varies a lot, we estimate that fresh paint adds 1 to 3% to the final price of a house," he says. "On a $ 300,000 house, that means you could receive between $ 3,000 and $ 9,000 more."

According to DiClerico, given the relatively low cost of painting, it's a good investment, even if it helps you sell faster. However, vendors make two common mistakes: either they do not paint at all, or they paint every inch, which can be useless, he says.

Low cost and high impact improvement

Zillow, an online real estate database, recently released a report titled "Hidden Cost of Selling" which states that vendors spend an average of $ 2,400 for exterior paint and $ 1,245 for interior paint.

The amount varies depending on the size of the property, the degree of preparation required and whether you do it yourself or hire professional painters.

In Virginia, Goeas donated $ 4,900 to professionals who painted the ceiling, walls, moldings and bookcases in her two-bedroom, two-bath condo.

"The combination of professional painters and professional photos made all the difference for my condo to be sold quickly," she says.

According to DiClerico, painting a 2,300-square-foot house can cost between $ 4,000 and $ 11,000, and you do not have to play hard.

"Vendors should focus on high-traffic areas and first impressions, such as kitchens, bathrooms and the lobby," he said.

HomeAdvisor estimates that exterior paints range from $ 3,000 to $ 6,000 or more.

"If you have a budget, choose your battles," said Kerrie Kelly, owner of the Kerrie Kelly Design Lab in Sacramento, Calif., And spokesperson for Zillow's interior design. "At a minimum, I would paint the front door, the main living space and the kitchen. You can also paint the bathrooms, but you'd better just clean the grout. "

Bright front, neutral interior

To appeal to the greatest number of buyers, it is essential to choose the right color.

"The most popular photos from outside homes this year include a lot of white paint," says Mitchell Parker, editor of Houzz, website sharing information on architecture, design and decoration, in Palo Alto, California. "It's a change in recent years that includes crisp contemporary homes, white farms and creamy Mediterranean and Spanish style homes. We even see brick houses painted white. "

Kelly recommends adding a darker or brighter entry door to catch the eye. She suggests a semi-bright or even very bright entry door, black or navy blue, to give enthusiasm to a white house.

"Inside, though," Neutral plays well, "says Kelly," you do not want bright yellow or red walls, you want people to visualize and visualize their furniture in the house. "

According to Houzz, the most popular color for kitchen and bathroom walls is gray, followed by white and beige.

"In an open floor plan, white unifies the space so that your eyes are not distracted by many colors," Parker said. "Then, buyers can add a little color if they wish with their furniture or their window coverings."

For the bedrooms, soothing colors such as a very light blue or a very light gray are the best, he says. Sometimes a darker gray or blue, but neutral, can work in a private space such as a home office or media room where doors are usually closed, Parker suggests.

Defects that forgive

Painting your walls with an eggshell or satin finish paint, easy to clean and more sensitive to wall imperfections, is especially important in heavily used rooms like the kitchen or the bathroom, says Kelly.

Although your taste may seem brighter, but when selling your home, Kelly advises you to stick to a neutral and unified palette of white, light gray and perhaps a touch of light blue , in all the space.

Read or share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/09/homes-sale-popular-paint-colors-help-yelp-you-sell-house/1649250001/