6 Signs You Should Paint Your House Before You List It

When preparing to list their house, most sellers tackle a few clean-up or maintenance projects first. But did you know that painting your home’s exterior might be one of the most important tasks you can do to boost curb appeal?

How often you need to repaint the exterior of your home depends on a few variables: where you live, the type of materials your house is made of, and the quality of the materials used for the last paint job. A good rule of thumb is most homes need to be painted every seven to 10 years. But, when you are trying to boost curb appeal and sell your home at top dollar, this task might need to be addressed sooner than expected, particularly if you have these six telltale signs:

1. Lack of curb appeal

Paint is there not only to protect the home’s exterior but for aesthetic appeal. If your home looks bland, old, unappealing or not well maintained, this impacts a buyer’s first impression. Consider painting the exterior to update its look and make the home look clean, refreshed and ready for new owners.

2. Faded color

If you home was painted a dark color, it is more likely to show signs of fading faster. Paint fades over time because of sun bleaching, water and humidity. Faded paint can make a house look old and not well maintained, and that is a bad signal to buyers.

3. Cracks or bubbles in the paint’s surface

Extreme weather such as storms, strong sunlight, sandy wind, and harsh winters can cause this prematurely, but cracked or bubbling paint is a sure sign that the exterior needs to be repainted.

4. Peeling

Peeling is an obvious sign that it’s time to repaint. Time, exposure to strong sunlight and harsh winters can all make paint start to peel in spots unexpectedly. When paint peels off, it makes your home look dilapidated, and it exposes the walls to damage from weather and the elements.

5. Color changes

This is different than just fading. For instance, beige can slowly change to pink when exposed to UV rays. You may notice changes in the paint color in patches, or that one side of your home is a slightly different color than the rest.

6. Your house was new construction and was built fewer than six years ago.

You’re probably thinking, “My home is young, so why would it need a fresh coat of paint?” A new house receives one layer of paint from the builder after construction to protect the walls. Unless you added another coat after you moved in, that single layer of paint is insufficient. So, if your house is about five years old and you haven’t painted it, it may be time.

Every seller wants their home to appeal to buyers, and addressing the outside façade is often the first step to making a great first impression. Ask your Realtor for his or her advice about what needs to be done to boost curb appeal and make your house ready to sell.