What to paint before you sell

Start with the photos

Ask your agent which rooms will be photographed. Many buyers see the photos before they see the home, so the rooms in the listing come first.

Walk through with fresh eyes

Look for scuffs, marks around light switches, chipped skirting and doors, cracks and water stains. These are the things you have stopped seeing, and the things a buyer notices.

The rooms that matter most

Usually the living room, the kitchen and dining area, the main bedroom and the entry. A marked hallway can make the whole home feel tired, because everyone walks through it.

Ceilings

A sound ceiling only needs paint if it is marked or stained. Cracked plaster and water damage are repaired first, and stains are sealed so they do not show back through the new paint.

Doors, trim and skirting

Doors and skirting take the knocks. Fresh walls next to chipped trim make the trim look worse, so plan them together.

Colour

Soft, light, neutral colours help buyers picture the home as theirs, and they photograph well. Staying with the same or a similar colour is quicker. Going from dark to light usually needs more coats, so allow for it.

The outside

The front of the home is usually the first photo. The front door, the front fence and the entrance often matter more than a full exterior repaint. If outside paint is peeling or bare, send a close-up so the quote covers the preparation.

What to leave alone

A room that is clean, sound and already a light colour can often stay as it is. If paint will not change what a buyer sees or trusts, leave it.

Get the order right

Repairs first, then paint, then the clean, then styling. Paint over a crack that has not been repaired and it will usually need doing again.

Getting a quote

Send each room's rough length and width, the ceiling height and the condition of the walls, with a photo from the doorway. One long step is about a metre. We price each room on its own line, so you choose which rooms go ahead.