When updating your home many sellers focus on the interior. We all know that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, but what many fail to realize is that what buyers first see is the exterior of your home. While the agent is busy picking up keys from the lock box that leaves the potential buyers with nothing to do but check out the exterior of your home. Most buyers will form an opinion before they even enter the front door. First impressions do make a difference so if you want to increase the value of your property focus on your curb appeal.

Improving the exterior of your home should not just be focused on the front of your property. Extending that care out back is just as important. Outdoor space is major selling point for potential buyers, especially in cities where that space is at a premium. Beautifully styled front and screened in porches will grab a potential buyers attention. If you want to stand out in a crowd try painting the ceiling of your porch haint blue.

Haint blue is not one specific color but rather a range of shades from soft blue- green, to blue- violet that traditionally grace the ceilings of southern porches. When originally created these paints were hand mixed so there were as many shades of the blue paint as there were craftsmen who mixed it. What mattered was not the actual shade just that it was an imitation of the color of water. There are so many colors to choose from, that you will have no problem finding one that compliments the color scheme of your home's exterior.

I have learned that while the many color options that could be called haint blue does make it easier to find a color that compliments your home, it can also be a burden of having too much choice. So in order to help you weed out some options I have comprised a list of twenty colors from Behr and Sherwin Williams. No need to mix your own, these paints can be picked up from your local hardware store!

Using haint blue is particularly popular in South Carolina, and specifically in the historic Charleston region. It is used on porch ceilings, doors and windows. As cultural tradition dictates this color is used to ward of the “haints” or evil spirits. Haints are supposedly not allowed to cross over water, so people painted the openings of their homes with mixtures of blues to trick the spirits and prevent their homes from being haunted. While this superstition may have gone by the wayside Southern homes still choose to use haint blue as a matter of tradition.

If you are not superstitious there are other reasons to add this color to your porch. It is said that painting a ceiling haint blue will extend the feeling of daylight hours by brightening up the area. It will also keep insects from nesting on your ceiling. The bugs cannot tell the difference between the blue ceiling and the sky. So if you want to avoid mosquitoes and wasps this is the perfect color to use in your outdoor space.

Extend the living to the outside and give your potential buyers an outdoor oasis where they can relax and host parties. Indoor/outdoor living is so popular because it allows people to utilize all the space of their home. Potential buyers will appreciate the attention to detail. Stand out from the crowd and use haint blue to add a bit of southern charm and history to your home, and potential buyers will envision themselves sitting on the porch drinking lemonade in no time.

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