For-sale listings with neutral wall colors accented by dark pops of color sell for more money, according to Zillow analysis; homes with red or brown wall colors can sell for less than expected
Painting a home in the right colors can have a significant impact on its sale price. According to a Zillow
®
analysis, homes with black front doors, tuxedo kitchen cabinets, and periwinkle blue bathrooms sell for as much as a $6,000 premium.
Zillow’s 2018 Paint Color Analysis looked at more than 135,000 photos from sold homes around the country to see how certain paint colors impacted their sale price on average when compared to similar homes with white walls.
Homes with black or charcoal gray front doors sell for $6,271 more than expected, the highest sales premium of all the room and color combinations analyzed. Tuxedo kitchens, or kitchens where the upper and lower cabinets are painted in two different colors, sell for a $1,547 premium. White cabinets contrasted by a dark navy blue or black kitchen island were some of the most common tuxedo kitchens in top-performing listings.
Homes with cool, neutral wall colors like blue bathrooms and light taupe living rooms also sold for more than expected. However, some paint colors might actually deter buyers. Homes with more style-specific colors like brick or raspberry red kitchens sell for $2,310 less than expected. Homes with yellow exteriors also sell for less.
“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.”
Picking the perfect paint color is one of many factors that may affect why a home sells for more money. Walls painted in neutral colors have broad appeal and may be a signal that the home is well cared for or has other desirable features. Sellers can also consult Zillow’s
Owners Dashboard to see in real time how their listing is performing compared to similar ones on the market.
Description
(what this color
looks like in homes)
Bathroom
Light Blue
Periwinkle blue – often found
with a gray-blue tint
$2,786
Dining Room
Brown
Oat brown to medium sandy
brown. A brown with
yellowish undertones
– $1,684
Kitchen
Black/Dark Navy
Lower Cabinets
Tuxedo cabinets – white or
light colored upper cabinets
with dark navy or black lower
cabinets or kitchen island
cabinets. Typically paired with
lighter wall color for a pop of
color / high contrast
$1,547
Kitchen
Red
Brick or barn red to a lighter
raspberry red
– $2,310
Living Room
Light Taupe
Light taupe – a warm tan with
pink or peach undertones;
darker peach to pink
undertones on accent walls
$2,793
Exterior
Yellow
Creamy bright yellow to a flax
yellow. A warm yellow with
brown undertones
– $3,408
Front Door
Black
Charcoal, smoky black to a
rich jet black
$6,271
Zillow Research
Zillow is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration, and knowledge around the place they call home and connecting them with great real estate professionals. In addition, Zillow operates an industry-leading economics and analytics bureau led by Zillow Group’s Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. Dr. Gudell and her team of economists and data analysts produce extensive housing data and research covering more than 450 markets at Zillow Real Estate Research. Zillow also sponsors the quarterly Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey, which asks more than 100 leading economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists to predict the path of the Zillow Home Value Index over the next five years. Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:Z and ZG), and headquartered in Seattle.
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The Zillow Research Paint Colors analysis measured how different paint colors in various room types may impact the sale price of a home compared to its Zestimate. Zillow Research analyzed over 135,000 photos from listings around that country that sold between January 2010 and May 2018 to identify which paint colors were associated with a home selling for more or less than its Zestimate when compared to similar homes with white walls. The analysis controlled for other wall colors within each room type, square footage, home age, and zip code ZHVI in the listing month. Price effects for different room-color combinations are estimates of the average premium or discount but may not be reflective of a causal difference in value compared to white walls.
SOURCE Zillow
