Whenever I am working with a home seller, and the home has a lot of wallpaper, I usually recommend that they remove it prior to the first day that it is listed. When I bring this up, I am usually greeted with a great deal of resistance. Here are a few reasons that I have heard for not removing wallpaper:
1. The wallpaper has a story behind it...it brings back happy memories for the sellers. They remember the pains they went through to pick the perfect pattern that would go with all of their furniture and decorations.
2. They paid a LOT of money for that perfect wallpaper!
3. It is too much of a pain to remove. Removing wallpaper does require the application of chemicals or steaming the paper off of the walls. And after the paper is removed, the walls underneath may need to be patched and touched up in order to restore a smooth finish.
However, kind seller, please remember that wallpaper is an extremely personal choice. This fact is demonstrated by the myriad of selections whenever you go into a home decor store. There are thousands and thousands of choices out there to match the unique tastes and preferences of the homeowner.
So my question is this: Do you want to limit your buyer pool to that one buyer who loves the wallpaper as much as you do? Of course you don't. When you put your house on the market, you must market to the broadest audience possible. I am not trying to be difficult, I just want what you want: To SELL your house.
Kathleen Cooper Best Option *** RE/MAX Professional Associates *** LICENSED IN MA!








