{"id":20633,"date":"2020-12-31T12:54:43","date_gmt":"2020-12-31T20:54:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=20633"},"modified":"2023-03-27T10:14:22","modified_gmt":"2023-03-27T17:14:22","slug":"does-removing-wallpaper-increase-home-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/does-removing-wallpaper-increase-home-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Removing That Sticky Old Wallpaper Increase Home Value?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Of all the cosmetic elements in your home, your wall color is just about the easiest one you can change on a whim \u2014 unless you have wallpaper. With the exception of modern day peel-and-stick wallpaper, which is designed for simple installation and removal<\/a>, wallpaper can be a beast to take down. You\u2019ll need to dedicate a full day\u2019s work to strip the walls of each modestly sized bedroom in your home<\/a> for a change of scenery.<\/p>\n

Older wallpaper especially can be a lot of work to remove and you\u2019ll need to go to war with the sticky residue<\/a> it leaves behind. Peeling back the paper could also reveal wall damage underneath. If you decide to take this project on, it would help a ton to know: Does removing wallpaper increase home value? Here\u2019s the dispatch from real estate experts who talked to us about whether the effort to strip wallpaper is worth it from a resale-value perspective.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> Source: (Patricia Hammell Kashtock<\/a> \/ Flickr via Creative Commons Legal Code)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wallpaper and home value: What the experts say<\/h2>\n

When you think about the impact of wallpaper on your home\u2019s worth, there are two types of value measures to weigh: What homebuyers see, and what appraisers see.<\/p>\n

Style preferences won\u2019t factor into the appraisal<\/h3>\n

According to Mason Spurgeon<\/a>, a certified general real estate appraiser since 2004 who handles appraisals in Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa, appraisers view wallpaper as purely cosmetic. So long as the underlying walls are in good condition, an appraiser is not going to reduce your appraised value based on the stripes on your bathroom walls or the border with herbs and spices in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

Buyers will pay less for dated homes<\/h3>\n

Appraisers do not value homes based on a seller\u2019s style preferences, so your frilly couch and green carpet are safe from their judgment, too. However, \u201colder wallpaper can make a home look and feel outdated,\u201d Spurgeon says. \u201cWhile this may not directly impact the value of the home, it may affect the marketability. Most buyers prefer paint because it is easier to change without a huge hassle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clean walls are a good way for a buyer to view your home as a clean slate. About 57% of top HomeLight agents<\/a> recommend that homeowners paint the interior before selling their homes. Painting the exterior alone has a 51% return on investment<\/a> \u2014 not bad for a project that costs under $3,000.<\/p>\n

Expect wallpaper to draw lower offers<\/h3>\n

Sheila Newton<\/a>, a veteran real estate agent and single-family homes expert serving Anderson, South Carolina, who has completed 17% more sales than the average agent there, confirms:<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the time, wallpaper is something that the buyer looks at as something that dates the house, and they consider things that are dated to be repairs. In their mind, they’re going, ka-ching, ka-ching<\/i>, and taking numbers off. Nine times out of ten, they\u2019re gonna subtract a good bit of money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like it or not, that wallpaper you\u2019ve lived with for years will impact your offers, Newton says. \u201cWhether we reduce the price or not, the buyer will decrease their offer. That\u2019s the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s buyers want turnkey<\/h3>\n

Unless they\u2019re house-flippers or enthusiastic DIYers, most buyers are not looking for a project to take on once they\u2019re settled, adds Amanda Mosness, a South Carolina home staging expert certified by the Real Estate Staging Association and co-owner of Designing Impressions<\/a>, a staging firm founded in 2004. \u00a0\u201cThey do not want to spend their free time fixing up a home. The more you leave unfinished, the less buyers will offer, and they will typically reduce the offer by more than it would have cost the homeowner to complete the work,” she says.<\/p>\n

Should you remove wallpaper before selling?<\/h2>\n

Before checking whether you can remove your wallpaper, it\u2019s worth evaluating whether you should. As much as our experts recommend it, they also understand that some homeowners don\u2019t have the money or the know-how to remove it. Before you decide that\u2019s necessary, check out the following:<\/p>\n