Primer or Paint on Walls to Make Ready to Sell

Primer or Paint on Walls to Make Ready to Sell

Matthew ChildsPro Member
Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 0 votes

Paint the walls or leave them with just primer?

Here’s the story:

My mom had to move out of her house this past spring.

It was put on the market but the only offers were real low ball offers from investors. There were a good number of showings, and the most frequent feedback was, “we just don’t want to do that much work, we want something more move in ready.”

Took it off the market and doing some rehabbing and updating. Refinishing the hardwood floors, new kitchen cabinet doors, etc.

One task has been to remove wallpaper in one and get rid of plum colored paint in the other.

My thought was to make the walls look nice and leave them primered. Leaving the color choice and last coat to the new owners. What if they don’t want some neutral non offensive color we pick?

My wife feels pretty strongly that I’m crazy and that the job should be finished, probably with some light gray paint.

Is she right?

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  • Rental Property Investor · Drums, PA · Member since 2017 · 345 posts · 365 votes
    6y

    @Matthew Childs Paint them a nice neutral off white. Your logic is sound, unfortunately most buyers struggle with envisioning the final product.

  • Rental Property Investor · Springfield, MO · Member since 2019 · 462 posts · 365 votes
    6y

    Don't leave them just primed. Almost every single buyer will walk in and see an 'unfinished' home instead of a blank canvas. 

  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    6y

    Most buyers can't visualize what it would look like finished.  Rather than putting on primer, just paint it.  A light grey is a good option.

  • Will BarnardPro Member
    Moderator
    Developer · Santa Clarita, CA · Member since 2008 · 15k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Mike Dorneman:

    @Matthew Childs Paint them a nice neutral off white. Your logic is sound, unfortunately most buyers struggle with envisioning the final product.

    The logic may be sound but is not correct, you need to paint the walls, not just primer them. Primer only walls is an unfinished item and you only have one shot at a first impression for buyers/renters. Dont skip this task, it is not much more to finish that portion of the job. Use a very light color like off whites, very light grays, or light earth tones. Keep it simply to appease the general eye.

  • Rental Property Investor · Richardson, TX · Member since 2019 · 120 posts · 82 votes
    6y

    @Matthew Childs finish the walls. Most people are not good at visualizing the “after” effect of remodeling. Get it done so they can see the finished product.

  • Investor · Schenectady, NY · Member since 2015 · 107 posts · 111 votes
    6y
    Buyers want a finished product. Paint them all “revere pewter” by Benjamin Moore.
  • Matthew ChildsPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    @Mike Dorneman thank you for your response. Appreciate the feedback.

  • Matthew ChildsPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    Thank you @Jon Reed.

  • Matthew ChildsPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    @Theresa Harris. Thanks, appreciate the help.

  • Matthew ChildsPro Member
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 8 posts · 0 votes
    6y

    @Ted L. Thank you. Appreciate the specific color recommendation.

  • Rental Property Investor · Concord, GA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    Your wife is right (just this once). Paint the house.

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