The absolute best investment you can make for your property, according to Chip Gaines

Open-concept kitchens. Double vanity master baths. Uniform hardwoods. There are a lot of Fixer Upper upgrades that make us want to pull out our fictional checkbooks.

But if you ask Chip Gaines the best, best place to invest in a home’s value (aka charm the pants off buyers), he’d say something a bit less obvious: the exterior paint job.

Here’s why: When you’re selling a home, curb appeal is the best way to get prospective buyers in the door. And a coat of fresh paint is a relatively inexpensive way to give your home the feeling of charm (or luxury or whatever you’re going for) regardless of what’s on the inside.

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(The average exterior paint job cost hovers around $2,500—a pretty penny but way less than a bathroom or kitchen remodel.)

Furthermore, “paint is emotional,” the KILZ spokesman told us. “It allows you to have a connection to the property before you even go inside”.

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