Dear Heather,

I am just about to put my house on the market, but I am going to paint it first. Do you think this will make a difference and what colour do you recommend?

Choosing Paint

Dear Choosing Paint,

Yes! Just like curb appeal matters, the colours of your home can, and will, influence buyers. With that in mind, we explore which colours tend to appeal to the masses.

The colour scheme of your home, from the outside in, sets the tone. It’s like going to see a theatre play and seeing an intricately crafted and appropriately painted set for the production. It can immediately intrigue you before the play has begun — even if you know few details about the play.

When it comes to colour, be sure to consider the location. A peach-pink home in a retirement community might be okay, but that same colour in an upscale, urban city may be unappealing.

The outside of your home is one of the largest areas potential buyers will see. So make your decision carefully and be sure to have a professional paint job done. White is a popular choice, but close to a main road white may not be practical as it will show the dirt. Also, if your home is very large or has a lot of flat outside surfaces, white can appear a bit bland.

Neutral colours, like beige and grey with white trim, are popular choices although safe isn’t always the way to play with colour. However as long as the colours look good together, they shouldn’t turn buyers away.

The paint inside your home is equally important. In fact, one good tip for sellers is that if they can do nothing else, they should get some fresh paint up on the walls. It helps showcase the home and gives it a new-home feel.

There are a wide variety of interior colours. Don’t feel like you have to go with only moonstone — which can make your house look blah. You can be a little more daring, using bold accent colours, just make sure the colours you choose don’t give a dark, closed-in feeling. Aim to create comfort, a sense of calmness, relaxation and a place where family can unwind.

For a more chic and sophisticated look, interior designers often choose from the grey palette. A dark grey colour can create a bold statement and attract the eye to a particular area.

Whatever colours you choose, remember that your aim is to appeal to the masses. Test the colours out first. Get opinions from people who have an eye for decorating.

Your real estate agent has likely been in hundreds of homes and can offer you some very good guidance.

•Heather Chilvers is among Coldwell Banker Bermuda Realty’s leading sales representatives. She has been working in real estate for 27 years. If you have a question for Heather, please contact her at hchilvers@brcl.bm or 332-1793. All questions will be treated in confidence. Read this article on Facebook: Ask Heather Real Estate