If you have ever scrolled through one of my listings and thought, “How are the walls that smooth?” or “Who made this house look that good?” the answer is almost always Bella Vista.
Ashley Ortiz, the owner of Bella Vista Painting & Drywall, runs a woman-owned company that I have trusted for years. She and her team handle a fair amount of our listing prep (and my own home projects), and their attention to detail, communication, and speed are unmatched.I sat down with Ashley on Instagram Live to talk about how she got started, what every seller should know before calling a painter, and the difference between painting for living and painting for selling. You can watch the full conversation here.
Why Bella Vista Is My First Call
Ashley started Bella Vista in 2018 with her husband, Luis, while working full-time jobs and raising their kids. Their work ethic is built into the company culture today: professional, communicative, and deeply invested in doing things right.
Bella Vista handles interior and exterior painting, drywall repair, skim coating, and all the careful prep that makes a home look polished in photos and flawless in person. Their crew is efficient, organized, and known for leaving jobs cleaner than they found them.
Painting For Living Vs Painting For Selling
Ashley and I share the same philosophy when it comes to paint: what looks great when you live in a home isn’t always what sells it. If you’re preparing to list, the goal is simple: bright, clean, and cohesive. Consistency in color and sheen photographs better, calms down busy rooms, and helps buyers focus on the space instead of the walls.
But that doesn’t mean we drain every ounce of personality. We usually tone things down and then add a splash of color that photographs beautifully, the kind of moment that makes a listing feel warm, intentional, and modern without overwhelming buyers. (Think soft olive, muted plum, a perfect moody blue)
There is a time for checkerboard floors and personal-color statements, and a time for what we lovingly call “realtor beige.” Selling season leans closer to the latter: simplified, light, and camera-friendly — with strategic pops that make the home feel alive on screen.
The Walls Do Not Lie
When I asked Ashley what the most common eyesore is in Portland homes, she didn’t even hesitate to say “textured walls.” If you live in Portland, you probably know what she means. Those swirly, bumpy walls that look fine in person but somehow turn blindingly obvious in listing photos. Ashley said, and I confirm that light can exaggerate every imperfection, which is why her team spends SO much time on the prep work most people never notice.
“Lighting exposes everything,” she told me. “Sometimes the seams you can’t see in person glare in photos.” That is where skim coating comes in, a specialty Bella Vista is known for. It smooths out texture for a clean, modern finish that instantly elevates a space. It is not cheap, but it is worth it in key rooms where buyers will notice, like kitchens and living areas.
And about those popcorn ceilings? They are a different beast. Ashley reminded me that many older ceilings can contain asbestos, which means you must test before doing anything. If asbestos is present, you have two options: hire a licensed abatement company to remove it, or have Bella Vista safely cover it with a fresh layer of drywall so the material stays sealed and undisturbed. Bella Vista does not handle asbestos removal, but once the ceiling is either abated or properly covered, they handle the full transformation from there, including drywall, skim coating, and a clean, modern paint finish.
Paint Quality, Cost, And Color Choices
When the conversation shifted to paint brands, I had to ask, What’s your go-to? Ashley said, “Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore, usually whichever one is closest to the job site.” The reason is surprisingly practical: if the crew runs out mid-project, they need to grab more fast. But if a client prefers one brand over the other, Bella Vista is happy to use it.
For listings, Ashley says there is no need to splurge on the top-tier paint line. “Go mid-range,” she said. “You want good coverage and durability, but not luxury-level pricing.” The exception? Dark or sun-exposed exteriors, where color retention matters long-term.
We also talked about trends, and apparently, purple is having a full-blown comeback. Mauves, plums, lilacs… all the rich, moody tones that make a home feel warm and unexpected. As Ashley put it, “The color of royalty is back.”
Where To Save And Where To Spend
At this point, I had to know where not to waste money. Ashley didn’t even blink. “Closets,” she said immediately. “Unless it’s gross or visible, skip it. Nobody’s photographing your closet walls.”
Instead, she recommends focusing on the areas that make an impact, like kitchens, living spaces, and primary bedrooms. Those are the shots buyers will see first, and that’s where paint quality pays off.
We also got into the topic of quick-fix refinishing jobs, like tubs and countertops. Her advice: do it for listings or rentals, but not for long-term use. “Once you paint a surface, you’re married to it,” she said. “You’ll always have to repaint it down the line.” It’s the kind of grounded, practical wisdom that makes Bella Vista so easy to trust and why I keep bringing them back for every listing prep we do.
When Paint Gets Complicated
One of the wildest transformations we have done together was for a buyer client who bought a home that had years of indoor smoking. The walls were holding on to decades of nicotine. “We primed it, sealed it, painted it, and it kept bleeding through,” Ashley told me. It finally took several coats and a full shellac primer to get it under control.
The lesson: do not over-clean or start painting before consulting a pro. Sometimes, the right primer, not more scrubbing, is what saves a job.
Closing Thoughts
If you take one thing from this conversation, let it be this: the right painter can completely change how your home feels and how it sells. Give @bellavistanw a follow, check out their work, and save their name for your next project.
And if you are planning to sell this spring, don’t wait. There are only about ten prime listing weekends in Portland, and I only take one listing per week. By February, Bella Vista, the top stagers, and the best photographers are all booked solid.
If you want your home to hit the market with precision and my full attention, now is the time to reach out. Contact me to get on my spring prep calendar. Because great listings are never about luck or timing, they are about strategy, preparation, and the right people, and Bella Vista is absolutely one of them.
