If you’re looking for a home improvement project to keep you busy this winter, how about repainting your Lake Martin home? Whether you make it a DIY project, or you call in the professionals, you’ve still got work ahead of you when choosing the best colors for your home. As your Lake Martin real estate agents, we’re here to offer a few suggestions!
According to an Open Door article, painting the interior of a home yields a 107 percent return on investment, and painting the exterior leads to a 55 percent ROI. So, it’s one of the most affordable upgrades you can make, and it yields great results when ready to sell!
When choosing paint colors, Realtor Magazine recommends you:
1. Focus in on a narrow palette to help you decide on colors. It can feel too overwhelming to go look at color options without an idea in your mind first. Research shows it could take up to four months to choose a paint color otherwise! Yikes!
2. Try on some colors. Bring home peel and stick color samples to stick on the walls you’d like to paint. You can see how they look at different times of the day and with your furniture and accessories. Seeing them in your actual Lake Martin home helps a lot!
3. Shine an assortment of lights on the colors. Colors can really look different depending on what type of lighting there is. Test them during the day, at different times of day, and then with artificial light, such as overhead lighting and lamps.
4. Choose a primer. When choosing paint, don’t leave without a primer, which can make a huge difference in how the paint looks once done. It covers imperfections and creates a uniform surface. How much primer you need will depend on surface area and whether you’d like the walls to look glossy or matte.
5. Typically, buyers look for warm, neutral colors inside, so this is what will yield the best ROI. This includes beige, tans, golds, grays and ‘greige,’ a blend of gray and beige. This doesn’t mean you can’t add pops of color with an accent wall, or with accessories! For color inspiration, check out the ‘colors of the year’ for 2019.
6. If you’re not up for repainting the entire house, experts recommend prioritizing the kitchen, bathrooms, entryways and foyer, especially before a home sale. These are the areas that buyers and house guests see most.
7. Choose paint wisely. Eggshell or semi-gloss is best in bathrooms with lots of moisture. Flat or eggshell sheens are best on broad walls. Semi-gloss is best for trims and doors for dusting and handprints. Satins and semi-gloss have best durability and stain resistance. Professionals can help you with these decisions!
Enjoy renovating your Lake Martin home this winter, so that come spring and summer, you can spend your time in the lake! If you’d like to achieve your Lake Martin real estate market goals before summer as well, give The Haynie Team a call! We are here and ready to help!
Becky Haynie, Associate Broker / Realtor
Lake Martin Realty
www.HomeOnLakeMartin.com