Honestly, I don't give resale a second thought. We may be selling someday, but I have no idea when that might be. Too, our home is sort of a funky little old cottage, in a neighborhood of other funky little old cottages, so anyone even looking at homes in this area is probably going to be more open and accepting of things that are um, more unique, shall we say.

As anyone who's ever seen my pics can attest, I've chosen to decorate the way I want things, and I couldn't be happier. I'll cross the resale bridge if and when I ever come to it. :-)

Auntjen I've seen your gorgeous, colorful home. I hope I can be as free in my decorating in my next home. I know we will be selling this house in 2-3 years, not some unidentified time in the future.

If you had to sell your home, and the RE agent suggested neutralizing it - would you do it?

Sky

Yeah, I think, "I'm sure messing up resale with THIS idea!" LOL!

I am being more careful since I sold my home a couple of years ago and moved into this house. But maybe not careful enough. I've painted some things on the wall, but they can (hopefully) be painted back out.

Hi Oceanna, yes I had extensive stencilling in one home that hurt to paint over, but now that I think back, I couldn't live with that stencilling in my current home. My tastes have changed. I did have one home where I painted colorful irises in the kitchen above the cabinets that actually helped sell the house to an art professor who asked me to sign and date my work. this is a long, long time ago, before this whole business of staging and neutralizing homes to sell. By now I'm sure that kitchen has been remodelled and the irises are long gone.

Now I avoid wallpaper and stencilling on the walls.

sky

I've built 3 homes and thought each one was the "forever" home. As John Lennon sang "life is what happens while you're busy making other plans". Therefore, 2 of those homes were sold. I don't think about resale at all, so I can't relate to having to think about it. That said, our previous home was craftsman inspired and designed with both an architect and interior designer. When we sold it, those details were lost on potential buyers -- the majority wanted a beige box! We had a paprika, sage, gold house with solid wood stained doors, heavy trim, pedestal sinks, period wallpaper, etc. The house did sell, but it took longer to find someone to appreciate the same aesthetics and design.

Life is too short to postpone what makes you happy. Enjoy today. Do what you want with your decor. If you sell later, deal with it at that time. Enjoy what you have. Surround yourself with things you love (thank you William Morris for that quote).

Cameron

When deocrating, such as wall paint color choices, I don't think about it at all. Now when making structural changes I give it some thought, but its not THE deciding factor. No way am I living in a beige box for even a couple years. What started out as a 5 year home is now at almost 9 years.

Sky, that's why I painted here rather than doing wallpaper; I had just spent days stripping the wallpaper from my previous home to market it. The bizarre twist of fate is that the folks who bought the house most likely would have loved the wallpaper -- their taste was very similar to mine. Meanwhile, my son had sprayed texture back onto the walls and the whole house looked brand new, with white trim and Navajo White walls. But you know how that works out. And before the sale had even closed the new folks were in there painting the walls (yeah, I gave them permission). lol!

Now I've done painting instead of wallpaper. The thing that worries me about painting it out is the slightly raised surface provided by the paint. I'm not sure if that will cover or if it will need a light sanding or something first, and the walls are textured. I painted all up and down the staircase (and I'm still not sure I'm going to keep that). I painted a bathroom with roses. I painted some wallpaper in the living room and every time someone is here and I say maybe I'll paint it back out they yell, "NO DON'T!" So I dunno.

But I'm with the others that I just can't live in a beige box.

Cameron -- love William Morris! Now I want to see pictures of your decor. :-)

I have never given a thought to future owners of any of the homes we've owned. When they move in I hope they do the same. Life's too short to live for what might be. Live for today with what you and your family want and love. If and when you decide to move then and only then would I even think about how to "set" your home for showing.
Just my philosophy.

Considering that we are in year 19 of our 5 year home, I have learned not to think that way. Who knows what might happen - as justgotabme said, we live in OUR home in OUR way. When we get ready to sell (hopefully in three years) I will deal with repainting the dark green bath or the Star Trek bath, will paint the kitchen cabinets, etc. For now, the only people I care about in regards to the house are the ones who live here.

Thought I'd add that a little over four years ago we sold our home of fifteen years. I'd never lived anywhere longer. It was colorful, and had a deep beautiful blue carpet throughout most of the home. After a couple months on the market I did paint over the faux underwater in the main bathroom.

I truly think Realestate agents assume buyers want a blank canvas because if they don't like a home they complain about paint or carpet color as the reason they won't buy it. People are not stupid enough to not know those can't be changed.

Granted if a home has different colors on every wall, painting would help. I also feel the less furishings and personal items you have displayed the better. I removed any smaller pieces of furniture, all family photos, anything on the walls and left only a bit of greenery here and there to add some warmth. I wish I would have taken pix, but alas, I didn't think about that.

I consider historic preservation value, not resale value. Our house is on the edge of a historic district and I would assume that those interested in this neighborhood would also be interested in a historic home that retains as much of the original structure and features as is reasonably possible. We've been rather non-literal or less historically strict with paint color choices, but we wouldn't take out original light fixtures to 'update' with popular modern ones, remove original trim, or add inappropriately ornate detailing that would not have been characteristic of this house, even if a realtor suggested we do that in the unlikely event we wanted to sell the house.
I do think that neutralizing a home for listing is more of a regional thing, no doubt more common in the more competitive markets. When we sold my in-law's house, upon the realtor's suggestion we did remove the wall to wall carpeting to reveal the hardwood floors, but repaint? take off wallpaper? forget it! The house was also empty, and the fact that we did not do anything more to it didn't seem to make a difference in the outcome. It sold fairly quickly and at a satisfactory price.

Life is too short to worry about what we MIGHT do, I think we should live in the now and enjoy the home you are in NOW. I mean, just think if you were able to decorate your current home the way you wanted instead of in the way you think might sell it faster and for more in the future, you might have loved it and stayed there forever.

I don't think the whole staging thing is big in our area. Now, I will say the house down the road that's painted plum nobody wants but that wasn't a good color choice for our area. People aren't bold and wild with paint colors on the road we live on! LOL I think something like that scares people more than the red paint in the kitchen that they wish was tan. It's JUST paint!

I think about it constantly. Even though I know things can change, we really do plan on moving in the next few yrs.
I thought about resale when I painted the chalkboard wall in my little boy's room. And I worry about how it'll be to paint over it. We also have one in the kitchen, that we probably won't bother painting over. But, I worry some about that one, too.
Big things we want to do..like a banquette. I think may not appeal to the next owner, so we're thinking of a way to not build it into the wall. I want to paint my oak cabinets white. Is that gonna hurt resale?? We want to put in built in shelving on a wall in the living room. Resale pops into my head.
I HATE tile, and would rather have a wood laminant over the tile I have in my kitchen. Oh, then there's wanting metal or concrete counters. But, knowing most homes around here have or will have (new ones going in all through out my cookie cutter neighborhood)laminant or the cheesey super thin granite.
So, yep..I constantly feel held back. And I hate it.

Yes, I almost always consider resale. But if you had moved six times in twelve years, it might be on your mind too!

In our current home, we thought we would be here 3-5 years, so I didn't worry about painting my dining room SW Sassy Green. Now we know we'll be selling after only a little more than two years in the house. Our Realtor recommended we repaint it to a neutral color, but we might leave it. It's just paint, and we love it. I decided against wallpapering my entry, though, even though I know it would look smashing. I'll just save that idea for the next house. Our next move will be our last for a long, long time, so we will do what we want -- if I can get over my habit of thinking resale!

If you had to sell your home, and the RE agent suggested neutralizing it - would you do it?

Probably not. I might consider offering a monetary allowance for repainting though, but I don't think I'd tackle it myself.

I have never had to do that. In fact, I was going to do that in one house. I had the ad come out on New Year's Eve, so I was going to take the long weekend and do some painting and taking down wallpaper (back when good wallpaper just peeled right off)and I had only taken one strip down when someone called and insisting on seeing it before the next week. I warned them about my taste but they could see the buckets of paint and my already removed one slab of wallpaper. They bought the house and asked that I replace that strip of wallpaper since they liked it so much. Sold it the day it hit the market at the price I wanted.

My dad was a builder and he spec built. Between that and college, I lived in 27 residences by the time I hit my last house. Mom and Dad were always into beige walls. It took years before I could stand beige walls again. I stayed in my last house for 35 years and little by little made it mine. But all the repainting and wallpaper stripping to get it ready for sale did make an impression on me. Maybe not enough of one, but definitely some. I think you look at it differently if you know you're going to move in a couple of years than if you plan to be there for the long haul, don't you?

Kim is so right about a historic home. I could cry when I've seen what someone has taken out, covered up or distroyed in a historic home all in the name of modernization. I've often wondered if they didn't like the period of the home, why did they buy it?

Historic is a good reason to preserve, resale is not. Like justgottabeme said, it's just a convenient excuse. Buyers want to personalize the home they buy and make it their own, so I wouldn't even offer a paint allowance. It's a rare house that doesn't get redone by the buyers. I wouldn't agonize over what might be, even if only a year or two away. It's your house now, it'll be the buyer's later, so enjoy your home now and let the buyer enjoy it later.

I also don't cover the carpeting or seats in my car to preserve resale value.

I truly think Realestate agents assume buyers want a blank canvas because if they don't like a home they complain about paint or carpet color as the reason they won't buy it. People are not stupid enough to not know those can't be changed.

Had to LOL at this. You'd be surprised at how many times this is a *valid* objection for buyers. It baffles me, but I tell ya, 98% of the buyers I work with have absolutely no vision/desire/motivation to see past paint/wallpaper/carpet color choices. I've literally heard buyers say, "I don't like all the yellow on the walls". I'll say, "Well, let's say we remedied that TODAY, and the walls were your perfect shade would the house interest you?" They almost all say something like "Well, maybe, but I just don't like this house." My pseudo-scientific armchair evaluation of several of these first-hand scenarios leads me to believe that once an emotional impact has been made, it's VERY hard to un-do it. If the first reaction is bad for a buyer, whether that's wallpaper, a paint color, or carpet or decorating choices, it's nearly impossible to overcome that.

It's a real treat to work with people who have a little vision, but they are definitely the exception and not the rule.

I definitely keep re-sale in mind. With as fickle as I am about housing, I estimate we'll only live in any one place for a max of 5 years. But I like it that way, so I don't feel I'm giving anything up. I like striking the balance between what I like and what I know will sell. (I obviously need to get out more....!)

We are on our 4th house since 1990. While we do decorate for us, I am more careful about how we spend the $$. In our first house (thinking we would be there long term)we put on a 40 year roof, expensive commercial grade windows, Woodmode kitchen and other upgrades that really didn't have any payback when it came time to sell. In our last house we put in beautiful custom built ins around the fireplace (no regrets there for me). Now this house needs built-ins but DH just wants to do freestanding pieces cause you can't take them with you. Arrgh!

I think about it all the time. I know we'll be moving when DS goes to college -- about four years -- and it's important to think ahead.

The house we recently bought had been on the market for almost a year. The POs had made some eccentric color choices, which I'm sure made them happy when they lived here, but definitely hurt them in this market.

We are gradually repainting the entire interior. Our choices are much more neutral; partly because we LIKE neutral, but also because I don't want this house to sit on the market for a year when sell it.

I trust my own decorating style enough to know that my taste is unique, yet sellable. We had a bidding war on the last house we sold, and the buyers and agents all complimented the decor. The house sold in three days, for $40K more than the asking price.

No, I don't at all. If my extensive cottage gardens haven't already scared off potential buyers, I'd be amazed.
I love my house and do whatever I want in it because it makes me happy. I decorate for me and no one else. I've already determined it will take the right buyer for my house when the time comes to sell, because of my yard.

Mindy

I don't think we've worried too much about resale, even as we've completed major kitchen and master bath remodels in the last 18 months. However, with the more permanent/expensive projects, we have looked to the long run, and have tried to make choices that we believe will be pleasing to us in the coming years. Hence, "classic" choices of cabinetry (white-painted maple, raised panel), while making bolder or riskier choices on items that are comparatively easier to replace (cork floors).

In our master bath, we've ripped out the hated Jacuzzi tub (never used, waste of space) and gone with our heart and gotten the large walk-in shower, even though some experts would say you MUST have a bathtub.

Our biggest statements have been paint colors. We choose for US, and both of us LOVE color. Chili pepper red dining room, bronze-green living room, deep coral family room, searing green kitchen, etc. Those colors have changed in the past, and will change again, but not to beige.

Interestingly, in our prior home, we were a bit more cautious, knowing we would move. Nevertheless, it didn't stop us from painting the living room and dining room hunter green, wallpapering an accent wall in the kitchen, and painting all the moldings and trims to coordinate. Our realtor advised us to paint/neutralize before listing the house, but we asked him to give it a try "as is." Maybe we got lucky, but in a very flat mid-90s real estate market, where identical homes were languishing, ours sold in a matter of days to a young couple who liked our decor so much, they offered to buy our furniture as well. Serendipity, for sure, but our house stood out.

I consider resale value a little bit whenever I am doing something that costs a lot or is difficult or expensive to redo. The last thing I want if we suddenly have to sell is to have to be expending more money and time getting the house ready... putting a home on the market is stressful enough without major redecorating at the same time. This doesn't mean I only do neutral. Colourful rooms or feature walls are fine, but if I don't have a burning need to use a particular colour on a room I use neutrals, because why work so hard to do something that would make resale harder? I only paint walls a colour when I love the colour for that room in particular, it is perfect there. If I'm having trouble making up my mind, that means my vision is unclear for that spot and neutral it is!

I also consider resale value in that I try to make everything of at least standard quality for a home in this area... for example, I didn't (at the time) think I needed a dishwasher, but I got one anyway, because that's standard round here for a house that is easy to sell. And I have occasionally done things I just wouldn't have thought of otherwise, for resale value, for example phone points at spots where someone other than us is very likely to want to use them, more of some sorts of storage than we need etc. I wouldn't get tradesmen in just to do these things, but while they are there, if you know what I mean.

Not at all now that we're in a home we plan to be in for a LONG time! But I did in our last home. We knew that we didn't want to live there long (but did end up staying for 8 years). It had been a model home for a builder and we liked most of the decor already, but it wasn't what I'd ideally like. We "made do" with it until we built this home. Now I really get to play! Now if I only had the money for all the things I want...!

Thanks so much for your responses - very interesting. I guess since I've moved 15 times so far, I'm always thinking about the next move. Maybe if I hadn't moved so often I wouldn't be thinking about it?

Sky