It can be difficult to decide what to update and remodel if you're thinking of selling. While kitchens and bathrooms have typically been prioritized for their return on investment, the style in which you revamp your home can have a huge effect on its salability. One factor you may not have considered can have more of an impact than you think, and that's paint color.
Related: 2018 Design Forecast: Color Me Purple
Which paint colors will get you the most bang for your buck? Zillow's 2018 Paint Color Analysis examined over 135,000 photos from homes sold across the U.S. to see how sales prices compared for homes with colored walls versus homes with white walls. The results varied depending on room type.
Homes that feature charcoal gray or black doors typically sell for $6,271 more than expected. Low on the list for exterior paint colors? Yellow. Homes in this color reportedly sell for $3,408 less than expected.
Houses with kitchens that have a different color for the upper and lower cabinets, known as tuxedo cabinets, sell at a $1,547 premium. The most popular color combination? Dark, navy blue or black kitchen islands with white cabinets. In dining rooms, however, homes that feature oat brown to medium sandy brown walls, and with yellow undertones, typically sell for $1,684 less than expected.
As for bathrooms...light blue or periwinkle blue paint, specifically with a gray-blue tint, increases the average selling price of a home by $2,786.
However, don't discount neutral colors, especially if you're accentuating them with dark pops of color. Zillow found that homes with light taupe living rooms, particularly with tan, peach or pink undertones, sell for $2,793 more than expected, while homes with more boisterous colors, like raspberry red in a kitchen, typically sell for $2,310 less than expected.
"For a seller, painting a front door is one the least expensive home prep projects, but also one that can have a powerful impact on a home's sale price," says Kerrie Kelly, Zillow home design expert. "While cool, neutral wall colors like tan and light blue are still popular, we're seeing a notable shift in home design where pops of color—particularly in darker hues of blue and gray to even black—are becoming increasingly popular. Contrasting colors, especially in kitchens and home exteriors, add interest and dimension to a room that plays very well in listing photos and videos."
For more information, please visit www.zillow.com.
Been there, never again I told myself, only to fall in love with a home with black granite. Oh, well
We agree, paint color adds value. This is really helpful to those who need to sell their house. We are a company that buys houses too, and this post if a big help for sellers. Thank you.
As a professional house painter, I can’t tell you how many times I have had to reference the resale value of the color chosen (especially when a homeowner wants to get a little crazy color-wise).
Really cool article on the value of paint colors. Definitely will be referring clients over to this article during our color design consultations. Thanks!
I really appreciate sharing this great post.While cool, neutral wall colors like tan and light blue are still popular, we’re seeing a notable shift in home design where pops of color