Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Tell me about it; I had sports team colors in a basement in a previous house (from a previous owner). It took 4 coats of Behr to cover. Still not one of the better reasons to eliminate a house, unless there's such a huge inventory that you can pick and choose at will.
I've painted over dark colors with one coat of Kilz or another good primer and one coat of paint.
Dark traditional colors are not my thing, others love dark colors. If this was not an empty house, the colors would not be so overwhelming. That said I can see these colors appealing to the country club or horsey set. If that is the buyer for homes in your area, I would leave the paint alone. Replace the halogen floor lamp with a preppy looking lamp. Get some counter stools with some tan and green plaid cushions. Maybe some canisters or a few antique sporty looking accessories on the countertop to add some happiness to the pictures. If you don't own or have access to similar items, shop thrift stores and consignments to stage.
As to the comment about dark colors being hard to paint over, use a good quality hiding primer for the first coat, then the color you want. Some of the best quality paints (talking $60+ per gal) claim to cover anything.
Got the desired results with Muralo, PPG Pittsburgh and California interior wall paints. Still looks like new one year later.
Let me talk as a professional starting clear back in 1071 as a Commercial/Investment Real Estate Broker till I retired.
I used to love houses like yours, with paint like that. They would set on the market unsold. I would buy them when they had been for sale for 6 months to a year, when people had about given up selling them, at far below the market value. I would then have my part time crew come in and repaint them off white. Put them back on the market on the MLS (I sold commercial not houses), 3 or 4K under the market and someone would sell them real quick and I would make a few thousand dollars. I would make about median income for the area (FRONT RANGE COLORADO), per year from those houses.
People don't like Green, and brown especially. Green especially darker shades, actually turn a lot of peoples stomachs. They may tell you it is beautiful but would not buy the home. People will look at white walls, and plan on repainting them someday. But they look at walls like you have, and they are turned off the house completely. Once a few agents have shown your home, the word gets around and it just does not get shown any more. The potential market for someone that will like those colors, that waiting the one that would like it, is almost am impossible sale.
I had 10 years interior decorating with furniture stores prior to the real estate business so really know what people want. If I was around and wanted to make an easy few thousand dollars (enough to take a European Vacation), after you got to think no one would ever want your home, I would make you an offer on it and eventually you will take it. Or you can repaint those walls, the house will get sold and then you can make that profit yourself.
One thing in my favor I guess is that if they are looking in the neighborhood area I live in, then my house is way more updated and also bigger. I designed the kitchen myself, so I know it is not like others. There is seating for 6 around the kitchen, plus the "keeping room" and a breakfast area. The room itself is 40 feet long by 13.5 feet wide. So, when I am standing at the back door, the far end of the room looks really dark with a cell phone. In the daylight there are 2 double sliding glass doors on each end of the room and light pours in.
I'd give anything to have a kitchen that big! It's really a neat kitchen. Best wishes.
The realtor thinks the 2 sticking points might be the driveway (it is steep, but so are all the driveways in my neighborhood) and the wall colors.
Your kitchen is lovely -- but, since your realtor should be aware of the market in your area, I'd take her advice about the wall colors pretty seriously.
I could not edit my original post. I wanted to post better pics. I get that people are saying that the wall colors suck in the kitchen. My realtor has advised that we wait for some feedback due to the amount of work we have already done. I am sure we will get feedback that the counters should be granite and the appliances should be stainless. But that is not something we are willing to do. The house is being sold at just under appraised value.
New 30 yr roof
2 New heating/air units 2007
New siding
New windows
Completely renovated kitchen
Completely renovated master
Updated other 3 baths
New paint throughout
New flooring throughout.
Here are the pics I did yesterday of the house. This is before any of the staging stuff.
I am hoping that there will be interest so I do not have to deal with painting. Houses in my area can sell quickly. One that is 4 blocks down had an offer in 3 weeks.
I know people have said this on the other thread, but I will ad my .02.
In my area, buyers would never forgive the kitchen color. You could get away with the other colors, but the kitchen color is "too dark" for the average house hunter.
Mind you, I have a couple of rooms in my house painted a similar dark gray-green, much to my husband's dismay. But I'm not showing my house to the masses at the moment.
Keep in mind that many ill-informed, inexerienced buyers expect a house to be PERFECT. If it is not, you do not want to give them any ammo to use on a list of negatives for your house.
Besides, most buyers today are NOT handy, and many are moving from out of town and do not know local contractors. Kitchens are notoriously hard to paint, with all the cutting in and brushwork that has to be done.
So do yourself a favor and find a neutral paint that flatters the cabinets but does not make itself the FIRST THING a less-than-visionary buyer will see when she enters your kitchen.
There is nothing wrong with your house. A few walls to repaint is not a big deal. Raise the price a few k to get some negotiating room if needed. If the seller thinks they are getting a deal then they are getting a deal. I wouldn't change anything. You don't wanna put money in it now. As is sale. I wouldn't say anything about a credit unless the buyer says something then offer it. But that's your option. If you do say that you will give a credit of say $1500 towards repaint just raise the price 1500. Otherwise don't say anything. This is the price make offer. That green is not bad.
Lots of oeople repaint anyway or have it done before move in
Get rid of the bed and dresser. Looks funny ( unless you're still sleeping there)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Wall color part 2
