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Should I Hire a San Diego House Painter Before Putting My House on the Market?

by Jon Ray    3 min read     December 10, 2019

Should I Hire a San Diego House Painter Before Putting My House on the Market?


When you’re getting ready to sell, the last thing you usually want to do is put a bunch of money into a house you won’t be living in much longer. But there are certain improvements that are worth it—and house painting is definitely one of them. According to real estate agents, you are almost guaranteed a return on investment when you have a fresh coat of paint applied.

Exterior Painting for San Diego Homes About to Go on the Market

If the outside of your home doesn’t look its best, like if you have peeling paint or if the color is outdated, it will have a huge effect on your home’s curb appeal. Go outside and take an honest look at the exterior of your home. If you were a prospective buyer, would you be attracted to your home, or would you keep driving if you saw it? If you’re having a hard time being impartial, ask your real estate agent for his or her honest opinion.

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders to the exterior of a home. It can give it a fresh new look, and will also tell potential buyers that this is a home that has been well maintained. Seasoned real estate agent Raejean Belsaguy with Rancon Real Estate says,

A fresh coat of paint is the first thing a potential buyer sees as they arrive at your home. It is well worth the investment.”

Interior Painting for San Diego Homes

What about the interior of your home? Should you paint it, or let the new owners do that? Most real estate agents will tell you that very few buyers want to take on a painting project as soon as they move into a new house. Most are looking for homes that are move-in ready. Denise Hamlin of Cardinal Realty says,

As a rule of thumb, [buyers] don’t want to paint when they move in. Maybe that statement doesn’t apply to every buyer, but I’ve worked with a lot of buyers and it definitely applies to the majority.”

In addition, freshly painted rooms will look better in real estate photos. These days, almost all home shoppers start their search on the internet. A home with light and bright walls will stand out from those with dark or dingy-looking walls.

The only exception to everything mentioned above might be if you are selling the house as a “fixer upper.” If the house is completely outdated and/or in need of multiple major repairs, your target buyer will likely be someone who will want to fix it up to their liking. In that case, paying a professional San Diego house painting company may not be worth the money, and won’t help you attract the type of buyers that would be interested in a house like yours.

When you’re choosing a San Diego painter, look for one that can help advise you on color choice. Experienced painters know how certain colors will look once they are on the wall and in direct sunlight and artificial light. It can be hard for the average homeowner to tell from a small paint chip how a room or the exterior of a home will look once it is painted in that color. You also want to choose a San Diego painting company that uses Low VOC paint, so potential buyers won’t be subject to the chemical smell often associated with new paint.

Do you have a question for the Paint Pro that you’d like to see answered in this column? Send it here and you may see the answer in a future column.

Jon Ray is the Founder of PaintGreen, a residential painting company in San Diego. In an industry where unethical behavior is far too common, Jon built PaintGreen in what he likes to call “an environment of integrity.”

Opinions expressed by contributors are their own.

Topics: Ask the Paint Pro, san diego house painting
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