2 Paint Colors That Could Hurt Your Home Value — and 5 That Help

In recent years, home sellers didn’t have to do much — if anything — to their homes to make them marketable. A hot housing market almost guaranteed a sale regardless of the home’s particular features.

But housing markets nationwide are cooling. In fact, prices are falling in many neighborhoods. That means that in some places, sellers suddenly need to bring their “A” game if they want to make a sale.

In a competitive market, every advantage helps — including the paint colors you use to decorate your home. Zillow’s latest annual paint color analysis found that buyers are “saying goodbye to bland and bidding more on homes with dusky, dramatic walls.”

In a series of studies, Zillow asked more than 4,700 recent and prospective homebuyers across the country to look at images of a home with interior spaces and front doors painted in one of either 11 or 10 colors, respectively.

Colors then were ranked according to a buyers’ perception of the home, likelihood of touring the home and the price they would be willing to pay for the home.

Zillow says the following two paint colors could bring down your home’s sale price — while five others are likely to help.

White

This color’s estimated effect on home sale price: A decrease of $612 if used in a kitchen

The clean look of a white kitchen is out. Today’s shoppers are looking for more color.

For more on what is currently hot with buyers, check out “10 Home Features That Are Boosting Prices — and 1 That’s Costing Sellers.”

Midtone gray

This color’s estimated effect on home sale price: A decrease of $3,365 if used on a front door

Shoppers are likely to pay thousands of dollars less for a home simply because it has a midtone gray — or cement gray — door. Buyers today prefer doors that are black or another color coming up on this list.

Midtone rosy brown

This color’s estimated effect on home sale price: An increase of $300 if used on a front door

While buyers are turning their noses up at gray doors, they are embracing the shade of rosy brown.

Small upgrades to your home can have a big payoff. Check out “33 Home Upgrades That Cost Less Than $100.”

Terra-cotta brown

This color’s estimated effect on home sale price: An increase of $1,624 if used in the bathroom

Terra-cotta brown is trendy right now, and that means buyers are willing to pay a premium to have the earth tone in their bathroom.

The odds of selling your home likely will improve if it appeals to one generation in particular. For more, check out “Move Over, Millennials: This Generation Now Has More Homebuyers.”

Dark gray

This color’s estimated effect on home sale price: An increase of $1,755 if used in the living room or bedroom

These days, dark gray tops pale neutrals when it comes to resale value. In a summary of Zillow’s findings, Mehnaz Khan, a color psychology specialist and interior designer in Albany, New York, says:

“Gray is the color of retreat. As we come out of the pandemic and return to our hectic lives, buyers want home to be a refuge. They want to withdraw and escape from the uncertainty of the outside world, and rooms enveloped in dark gray can create that feeling of security.”

Deep graphite gray

This color’s estimated effect on home sale price: An increase of $2,512 if used in the kitchen

Deep graphite gray — which Zillow also describes as charcoal gray — is popular in the kitchen right now.

Midtone pewter gray

This color’s estimated effect on home sale price: An increase of $2,553 if used in the kitchen

This color is even more popular in the kitchen than graphite gray.

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