I guess the answer to this really depends on a few factors, like...
1) The shade of blue
2) The intensity of blue
3) How big the surface is
Years ago I bought a home. It was a charming little home. My husband was in the Navy and we used to live around the corner in the same floorplan. On the way to that home we used to give directions that went something like this.... "When you get to the ugly blue house on the corner, turn right." Everyone used these directions - it was practically a landmark.
So years later sitting at the closing table, my husband never laying eyes on the home I was buying for us to live in (did I mention he was in the Navy?) he says over and over again... "I can't believe we are buying the ugly blue house on the corner. She must be crazy." Well, crazy I was not... we painted it yellow with white trim and black shutters - one of my favorite combinations. Of course this caused some confusion with parties for the next few weeks - no one could find the ugly blue house on the corner anymore.
Why did we buy the ugly blue house on the corner? It sat empty for over a year (most home were sold within weeks) and was priced more than 15% below market value. Paint was only a few hundred dollars - for the entire exterior.
What does all this have to do with the bathroom I mentioned in the beginning.... well, two things - the first is that I cringe at the sight of blue far too often, especially with certain shades. I've been told that there are green people and there are blue people. I'm definately a green person.
The second thing it has to do with is that the home we purchased sat for over a year and sold for thousands upon thousands less than other comperable homes - oh, did I mention that when we sold our home 4 years later we sold it at list price to the 1st people to walk through the door?
So... if you are selling a home and ANY ROOM looks like this....
PAINT IT!!!
If you do, then you might be able sell your home sooner and for significantly more money....
So, do you want to see what it would look like if you listened to me, as this smart seller did?
Now, really, which would most potential buyers prefer? Of course, it also helps that we painted the master bedroom the same color as the bathroom (after) - it was purple.... the old sellers were NOT afraid of color to be sure! That's another blog though....
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First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign is a nationally award winning company owned and operated in Summerville, SC a suburb of Charleston, SC. We provide high quality staging for both occupied and vacant homes in the greater surrounding areas and beyond! For more information please visit, www.WeStageSC.com. If you are interested in learning about making Home Staging your profession, please visit, www.StagingAndRedesign.com for more information.
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Melissa Marro, a published artist, now turned staging advocate and national speaker speaks her mind about real estate and the home staging industry. In her 'no holds barred' approach, audience members find real answers to the industries pitfalls and learn how to overcome them with tried and true information and guidance. With marketing as her passion, she turned a small home based business into one of the nation's largest home staging and training facilities. She now operates as the CEO of First Impressions Home Staging & Interior ReDesign as well as an instructor for Staging And Resign and regularly speaks at the StagerList Expos and Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)'s trade events.
For more information on having Marro speak at one of your real estate functions, please contact her at 843.822.2622 or email at marro.melissa@gmail.com
If you would like Marro's team to provide information on staging a property in the state of South Carolina, or the Greater Charleston Area, please visit www.WeStageSC.com, email marro.melissa@gmail.com or call 843.822.2622.
Hi Melissa...Some will like that blue but many, many more will like the more neutral color. Your touches make a difference also.
Kate
Melissa,
That's soooo much better! That blue makes me blue.
I can't imagine anyone selling a house in today's world with that blue color -- it looks SO much better now!
great example of how a little paint can make a HUGE difference.
Melissa - I love your story! Great illustration! I went to check out a home yesterday that has blue PLAID wallpaper in an upstairs bath. Yikes! Great photos!
Hi Melissa, I find blue one of the most difficult colours to stage around if the sellers insist on keeping it. Great post. If you want to lose equity on a property keep the blue paint.
I had a property two days ago that was at least 50% Benjamin Moore Hudson Bay CC 810. The seller is still so emotionally connected with her house she cannot see that it looks like a huge cave to outsiders. Plus the wallpaper from another time. You get the idea, it's not going to sell any time soon and they definitely will not be getting the equity out of it to buy their next dream home.
What a huge difference. You now have a very sellable product! BTW I do like blue...but not that much.
I'm a earth-tone kind of girl who loves browns and greens. As for how the room looks now, after you painted; it's so much better! Good for you for selling so quickly.
Kathy
Melissa ~ That blue is too jarring for me! I like certain blues, but I'm more of a green person myself. Can I ask what color was used to replace the blue? Along with your touches it really made a big difference in how this bathroom comes across.
I just told a seller with the same shade of blue bathroom to paint it a more neutral color. Her response was, "but it is so bright and cheery!"
Fun story about your blue house. We too bought a blue house and painted it yellow with white trim. The inside could only be described as what I call "Rubbermaid Blue" It only took PAINT to make a world of difference!
I'm glad I painted my blue bedroom ;) The bathroom looks great and makes a huge difference!
I love blue but not quite as much as the person that painted that bathroom!
That is what I call getting bang for your bucks!! It looks millions better!!!
Wow, that blue actually hurts my eyes to look at it.
What a great transformation! You certainly made a positive difference with this one!
Hi Melissa, I like the new color but the old blue doesn't offend me. It makes the white units pop! Does that make me a blue person? Maybe. Yet, I love green. I guess, if I'm honest, I really don't like yellow. It feels totally insipid. All of which simply goes to say that colors are so personal, a good stager is best off going neutral!!
wow - what a great post on how important paint colors are in a home