7 Paint Colors That Boost Home Sale Prices — and 6 That Hurt

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When is a small paint job worth $5,440?

When the paint is in the blue or purple color families and applied to bathroom walls, according to Zillow.

The real estate website’s 2017 Paint Color Analysis found that homes with bathrooms painted with hues like light powder blue or periwinkle sell for $5,440 more, on average, compared with similar homes with white walls.

No other combination of paint color and area of the home fetched a greater price increase, although the analysis shows certain paint colors can definitely help or hurt a home’s sale price.

Shades of blue, brown and gray are most common on Zillow’s list of colors that increase a home’s sale price. Zillow chief economist Svenja Gudell explains:

“Painting walls in fresh, natural-looking colors, particularly in shades of blue and pale gray not only make a home feel larger, but also are neutral enough to help future buyers envision themselves living in the space. Incorporating light blue in kitchens and bathrooms may pay off especially well as the color complements white countertops and cabinets, a growing trend in both rooms.”

The analysis found seven combinations of paint colors and home areas that increase sale prices. Homes with:

  1. Bathrooms painted blue/purple (often hues of light powder blue to periwinkle) sell for an average of $5,440 more
  2. Dining rooms painted blue (slate blue to pale gray blue, or navy blue with white shiplap) — $1,926 more
  3. Bedrooms painted blue (light cerulean to cadet blue) — $1,856 more
  4. Kitchens painted blue (light blue to soft gray-blue) — $1,809 more
  5. Living Rooms painted brown (light beige, pale taupe or oatmeal) — $1,809 more
  6. Exteriors painted gray/brown (“greige,” which is a mix of gray and beige) — $1,526 more
  7. Front doors painted gray/blue (navy blue to dark gray or charcoal) — $1,514 more

Six combinations of paint colors and home areas decrease sale prices. Homes with:

  1. Bathrooms painted white/no color (off-white or eggshell white) sell for an average of $4,035 less
  2. Dining rooms painted red (brick red, terracotta or copper red) — $2,031 less
  3. Home exteriors painted brown (medium brown, taupe or stucco) — $1,970 less
  4. Living rooms painted blue (pastel gray, pale silver to light blue, or periwinkle) — $820 less
  5. Kitchens painted yellow (straw yellow to marigold) — $820 less
  6. Bedroom painted pink (light pink to antique rose) — $208 less

Zillow’s analysis was based on an examination of 32,000 photos from sold homes around the U.S. Those homes’ sale prices were then compared with the sale prices of similar homes with white walls.

As we note in “8 Home Improvement Projects That Pay Off Big“:

“A coat of paint gives you a lot of bang for your home-improvement buck. Painting a room is economical, and it is a project most folks can handle without hiring a contractor.”

For more tips, check out “Selling Your Home — Here’s How to Create Maximum Curb Appeal.”

What’s your take on the best paint colors for a home that’s up for sale? Share it below or on our Facebook page.

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