Updated: Nov. 17, 2023
Selling your home often comes with small improvements and do-it-yourself adjustments to attract buyers. If you’re in the process of selling your house, you might want to consider a few painting projects—starting with the color of your front door.
The paint color that gives back
A report by Zillow looked at 135,000 photos fromold houses across the country to see how paint colors impact sales. They found that homes with charcoal, or smoky to jet black doors sell for $6,271 more than expected. Considering that a door paint job cancost approximately $100 to $400, a bucket of black paint is a stellar investment.
In their study, Zillow also found that tuxedo kitchens—where the upper and lower cabinets are two different colors—sell for more money too. It may be worth it to stage your home with a few of these features, or with these15 other tricks to help you sell your home faster and at a higher price.
What about the rest of the house?
As for the rest of your house, cool and neutral wall colors are a big hit with buyers overall. Light blue bathrooms and taupe-colored living rooms were especially popular in homes that sold for more money. Meanwhile, homes with dark red- or brown-colored walls sold for as much as $2,310 less than expected. A fresh coat of paint over that brown wall you loved won’t cost you much compared to what you’ll gain in the selling process, just like these 31 home improvements that can double the value of your home.
For home exteriors, houses painted a creamy, bright yellow sold for $3,408 less than other homes. Just keep in mind that painting the outside of your house can be an expensive job, ranging from $1,000 to north of $6,000,depending on the size of the house and the materials used. The biggest tip for selling your home for more is to make friends with your real estate agent. They might even let you in on a few of these22 secrets your real estate agent won’t tell you.
Sources:
- Zillow: “Homes with Tuxedo Kitchen Cabinets and Black Front Doors Can Sell Up to $6,000 More than Expected”
- Home Advisor: “How Much Does It Cost To Paint Kitchen Cabinets, Doors And More?”
- Home Advisor: “How Much Does It Cost To Paint The Exterior Of A House?”
FAQs
The paint color that gives back
What color houses sell for the most money? ›
White is one of the best colors for selling a home because it's simple, timeless, and not influenced by personal taste, which allows potential buyers to see it as their own blank canvas. And when buyers can see your home as a blank canvas, it dramatically increases the pool of buyers you appeal to.
What color adds the most value to a home? ›
1. Warm neutrals. No doubt the most popular advice from color experts is to opt for warm neutral hues to add value to your home. Decorating with neutrals provides a subtle and calming backdrop in the home and pairs well with many different design styles, so it's arguably the most versatile of all palettes.
What paint color has the best resale value? ›
Shades of white: From modern white farmhouses to whitewashed brick colonials, a white, off-white or ivory exterior offers a clean slate for potential buyers to envision their personal touches against a fresh backdrop. Shades of gray: Gray is the best color to paint your house exterior for resale value right now.
What is the best color for resale value on a house? ›
What's the best house color for resale? Simple tones, such as gray and white, tend to be popular no matter the geographical area and can help your home sell. These colors are used often in the highly sought-after new, modern looks.
What color makes the most money? ›
Gold is the most powerful color if you are thinking of attracting affluence, fame, and wealth. Due to all these things, it is the most powerful color that attracts wealth.
What color house is hard to sell? ›
Brown: Browns are a difficult color to sell, since dark tones can make an interior room feel cramped and can hide details of the exterior in the color.
What color kitchen decreases home value? ›
According to the study, yellow kitchens will lower price while light blue and soft gray blue kitchens will increase the price (by $1,809 on average). In fact, the study found that in general throughout the house distinct colors like yellow and red will decrease the price although not as much as a total lack of color.
What color makes you sell more? ›
Red is the color of power. It gets people's attention and it holds it, which is why it's the most popular color for marketing. The word SALE is always red, and you'll often find red a common tie color for professionals. When you want to be viewed as trustworthy and cool, blue is the color for you.
Should I paint my entire house the same color? ›
While the short answer is to can use as many colors as you wish, there are a few things to consider that might help you decide. Light is a key factor and should be at the forefront of your decision, and the best way to address this is by considering the aspect of the room.
As of June 2023, the car colors that retain a higher resale value are:
- Yellow (13.5% value lost over three years)
- Orange (18.4% value lost over three years)
- Red (20.6% value lost over three years)
- White (21.9% value lost over three years)
- Blue (22.0% value lost over three years)
- Gray (22.5% value lost over three years)
The color that's most susceptible to fading in the sunlight is red. This is especially true of intense red colors, which may fade even faster. When driving around the neighborhood, you may have noticed that red is a rather uncommon color on the exterior for homes.
What color increases house value? ›
Instead, “recent and prospective homebuyers are willing to offer more money for a home painted in dark, moody colors,” Pendleton said. In fact, dark gray is associated with higher offer prices than white in every room of the home that Zillow studied: the kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom.
What hurts house resale value? ›
Some of these factors are out of your control, such as market conditions, interest rates, and the economy, while others are very much in your control. From unappealing renovations to neglecting maintenance on your home, some projects, or lack thereof, can negatively impact your property value.
What adds the most resale value to a house? ›
Projects That Boost Your Home's Value
- Remodel the kitchen. Updates to the kitchen pay off. ...
- Upgrade the appliances. ...
- Boost the bathrooms. ...
- Remodel the attic or basem*nt. ...
- Get decked out. ...
- Boost curb appeal. ...
- Improve energy efficiency.
Colors to Avoid When Selling a Home
- Red: 53%
- Lime green: 53%
- Bright yellow: 40%
- Mustard yellow: 19%
- Pink: 10%
- Turquoise: 9%
Lighter and More Neutral Colors Help Sell Homes Fast
Lighter colors and neutrals are the safest paint colors to use when selling a house.
What style house sells for the most money? ›
Beach Houses and Mediterranean-style homes are the most expensive in the U.S. and are often found on prime land close to the ocean. Large windows and balconies accentuate the use of natural light, which adds a feeling of luxury and simplicity to a home.
