When selling your home, first impressions are everything. Buyers will be interested and ask questions about your home and surrounding area where you reside from a long checklist. However, their interest in these items will pale in comparison to the initial feeling they get when they step into your home for the first time. If you want to sell your home with little hassle and in less time, then it is critical that the style and décor of your home is up-to-date and attractive to a wide audience of potential buyers.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to update your home and appeal to more buyers is with a simple change of paint. Think of your home’s color palette as the backdrop for all furniture and decorations and the overall tone setting factor for the home. Even though paint is relatively easy to change, the wrong color choice can potentially turn off a buyer to the entire house. The first thing you should do is remove your own opinion on color and focus first on potential buyers.

Many real estate professionals recommend going with neutral paint colors. The term “neutral colors” however does not limit you to boring whites, beige and tans throughout your home. Neutral colors done right can go into blues, grays, browns and greens. Going bolder with your neutral color choice can even mean more green in your pocket. In fact, studies have shown that certain neutral palettes in specific rooms may actually increase or decrease your sale price! For example, homes with kitchens painted in light blue to soft gray blue tones sold for more than homes with kitchens painted in straw yellow or marigold tones. And home exteriors painted “greige” (a mix or brown and gray) sold for more than homes with medium brown, taupe or stucco shades.

Next, pay attention to fixed furnishings. The paint you choose should compliment your flooring, wood finishes, countertops and tile. Colors that don’t compliment these fixtures will make them look like an eye sore rather than bringing out the best of each room.

Consider the mood a buyer should feel in each room. For instance, a bedroom should typically feel calm and relaxing while a kitchen should be more energetic and vibrant. Colors can also affect how the size of a room feels or appears. Warmer tones make a room more cozy while cooler brighter tones seem to push the walls out making the room appear larger.

We recommend buying paint samples and painting them on large pieces of paper that you can move from room to room. That way you can test many shades, see them in various rooms and lighting and make the best choice before purchasing large amounts of paint. The investment of changing paint colors in your home is minimal and also time efficient.