When an anticipated facelift goes awry.
There's nothing worse than trying to add value and aesthetic appeal to a property and having it go terribly wrong, except for maybe trying to show a home with great structure, location, the works -- but the paint job is nearly impossible for most buyers to see past.
Bad paint jobs have happened before and they'll happen again; the paint is mixed incorrectly, a DIY project goes off the rails, perhaps the design idea wasn't good to begin with -- the list really is endless for what could require a do-over when it comes to the home makeover.
Interior Paint
Small spaces and dark colors, beads down the wall, chips in a fresh coat, the base not properly sanded -- there are a plethora of reasons why paint jobs go south. How about just a bad color? Now that's really all preference but when it comes to selling and showing a home, starkly painted walls can really add a new layer of complicated to the task.
From the genesis of a painting project, it's relatively easy to spot a red flag. There's paint preparation like mixing and priming that needs to happen and there's room preparation like taping off, sanding, etc. that is also necessary for a professional and long-lasting paint jobs. While most paint companies provide this from the get-go -- it's important for everyone to be on the same page about what's going into the painting prep.
If the paint is blotchy or has streaks -- it's not going to look better when it dries. It's also important to select the proper finish for a room as some finishes are more prone to stains, handprints, scratches -- you name it. Anyone getting anything painted in their home or rental wants the paint to last, it's not supposed to be a "quick-fix" but something that changes the look and feel of your home for several years at minimum.
Exterior Paint
Painting the outside of a property truly provides a night and day difference. But what about when that difference is bad; really, really bad? The outside of a home is incredibly important because it provides the first impression. Immediately upon walking up to a home there is a sense of what the inside will be like based on the outside. If a home has classic look to it and is painted well with some decent landscaping -- we expect that the inside will be classic and comfortable as well. When walking up to a home that boasts a overly dark or overly bright color -- even if the paint job is impeccable -- some eyebrows are inevitably raised. Add chipped paint or other signs of neglect and the home already lost value in the eyes of most who walked by.
Exterior paint can be a blessing or a curse and while thankfully, most of the time it's the former -- it can be a real shame in the real estate market when the appearance of a home is the main drawback. The good news is that paint is much easier to fix than floorplan issues, etc.!
When painting the outside of a home, it's important to remember to choose quality paint that will last the test of time and weather. It's also important to do the proper preparation to the the exterior so that old paint, scratches, and scuffs don't cause the new paint to look patchy or peel. Neons, pastels, and black are probably colors to stay away from as they aren't appealing to the masses, stick out in neighborhoods for all the wrong reasons, and can fade from sun exposure (which there's no way to avoid).
Finishing Touches
At the end of the day, it's a fact that paint can make or break one's home's appeal when it comes to the owner's enjoyment or the buyers/sellers and their agents who are doing their best to make a transaction happen. Several homeowners paint their house white before renting it out or putting it on the market --simply because it's a proven way to elicit more offers. Whether it's the stencils from a child's bedroom or the dark purple statement wall that was trendy in 2013 -- it's hard to walk up to or into a home and have it's paint completely cloud one's ability to visualize themselves in the home.
While chips, chalking, and beading can have the most level-headed of us pulling their hair out, it's important to remember that painting issues while expensive, inconvenient, and time consuming can be solved by learning a few key techniques or hiring an honest and experienced professional.
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