If you're going to be selling your home, one of the first things you should do is take a good look at the paint. If it's left your home looking weather-beaten, or several years older than it actually is, you might want to give it a fresh coat of paint before you put it on the market. Not only will a fresh coat of paint improve the appearance of your home, it will also increase the resale value. Before you hire the painters, spend some time taking care of the prep work. Taking care of the prep work on your home will make the process go smoother, and quicker.

Start with a Clean Surface

When it comes to the exterior painting your home, it's important to start with a clean surface. Not only will you get better coverage when the paint is applied to a clean surface, but it will require less paint to your home that even coverage you're looking for. Use a high-pressure washer to remove the dirt from the entire house, including along the foundation, and up inside the eaves. To get rid of muddy stains around the base of your home, add some grease-cutting detergent to your pressure washer. Once you wash your house with the detergent solution, go over it one more time with clear water to rinse away the soapy residue.

Take Care of the Blemishes

If you've got cracks and chips in your stucco, you should take care of those before the painters arrive. You could leave those for the paint crew, but taking care of those issues yourself will leave the painters more time to get down to the business at hand, which is painting your home. Begin the repair process by cleaning the blemished areas with a steel brush to remove the loose stucco and dirt. Next, fill the cracks with an epoxy filler and allow it to dry. Finally, sand the surface with a medium-grit sanding block. The surface will now be cleaned, repaired, and ready to paint.

Protect the Fixtures

The final step you should take to get your home ready for the painter is to cover your fixtures. Pre-wrapping your exterior light fixtures will prevent them from getting splattered with paint, and will reduce the amount of prep work that the painters will need to take care of once they arrive. If you have ground level air conditioning unit, you should cover that with a plastic tarp.