Best Paint Colors for Selling a House

Walking into a kitchen with bright orange walls and a purple-accented living room might flow seamlessly in Cuba and the Caribbean, with hues as vibrant and rich as their cultures, but in selecting paint colors for selling your home, it’s best to reconsider the bright and bold. 

Whatever renovations you decide to make, put your personal preferences aside. Potential buyers aren’t buying your house because of the aesthetic you’ve created, they’re buying your house because it’s a blank canvas for their own aesthetic. If they end up painting the walls orange and purple, great! But you’ve given them that power and option to create. Ergo, the colors that successful sellers paint their houses aren’t as subjective as one might think in the real estate market. In fact, paint colors have shown to have a significant impact on which houses sell quickly and those that stay stagnant, even affecting the price by thousands of dollars. 

So, which tints make your listing a hit and which tints should you ditch? Below, we’ve gathered the top paint trends for 2021, going room by room, interior colors to the exterior, so your house reels in potential buyers with ease and creates a space that feels just right.

BASICS

One overarching rule before diving into room specifics: neutral colors never fail. As mentioned above, buyers want a blank canvas to individualize and accent their own space. What’s the closest thing to a blank canvas? Neutrals like off-white, taupe, beige, eggshell or gray. These colors don’t hold any strong affiliations and are generally unoffensive, allowing potential buyers’ imagination to perceive it according to their tastes. 

If you’re lost in a swarm of neutral color schemes, flooring may affect which neutrals you select as each neutral has a distinct undertone. For brown-toned floors, select a beige color. For gray or cool-toned floors, go with a light gray. The key is to create a cohesive, complementary environment by matching the undertones of the space. While warm undertones invoke a cozy, inviting, even intimate atmosphere for larger spaces, cool tones create a zen-like contemporary haven. It should be noted that the lighter you choose to go, the better, as lighter shades typically sell better. 

What about white? For the most part, avoid it. Although it's neutral, white can come across stark and cold like museums or hospitals. When dealing with a smaller room or a space without much natural light, however, white can make the room appear larger and brighter. 

KITCHEN

Starting off in the coziest, busiest and most comforting spot in the house: the kitchen. As it's one of the more high-trafficked areas, color selection is of the utmost importance. Pick a warm gray or off-white paint, leaning towards a glossy sheen as they resist stains and wipe down easily. One Zillow study noted a price increase of $1,547 when the warm gray/off-white interior colors incorporated tuxedo cabinets. That is, light upper cabinets and darker lower cabinets (typically black or navy blue). 

Different shades may be appropriate to add dimension to the space, such as painting the kitchen island to match the accented cabinetry. Think navy, grays or light blue. Adding small hue differences can transform the kitchen into a trendy space without a risky color commitment.

LIVING ROOM

For cohesion’s sake, try and select one neutral color for the main living areas, i.e. the kitchen, living room, entryway and hallways. However, the neutral you pick may depend on the size of the living room. While the off-white suggested for the kitchen may brighten and enlarge a smaller living room, a warm gray in a larger space can make the walls feel closer and bring a sense of togetherness and warmth in a living room that would otherwise feel alienating. 

For those focused on getting the most that they can by selling, another report by Zillow showed light taupe brought the largest price increase of $2,793. Taupe is between gray and beige, a “greige” whose popularity trumps other off-whites and grays.

BEDROOM

Ah, the bedroom. A personal haven in which we escape the world, cocooned in special comforts. This room, more than any other, should invoke restfulness and tranquility. After all, it’s the place one spends the evening recharging and recuperating for the day ahead. 

Though the same neutral paint allotted to the kitchen and living room can be followed through into the bedroom, some experts promote off-whites to create a “cloud” effect, promoting a zen-like airy state free of clutter and distraction. Other colors, such as light pink and blue, foster a calming effect and even improve the quality and duration of sleep. 

BATHROOM

Potentially small and unassuming, the bathroom actually holds a lot of importance in a house, notwithstanding the obvious reasons. For starters, Trulia discovered the master bath is one of the most important rooms in the house for a prospective buyer, and thus, it’s also up for the most scrutiny and judgement. Typically smaller than any other room, the bathroom is also exposed to a lot of moisture and foot traffic. 

Though white effectively brightens a space, the crisp color shows smudges too easily and won’t age as well as a slightly darker color. Instead, opt for pale blue with notes of periwinkle and gray. It’s fresh and soothing, camouflaging scuffs and hiding moisture damage while still brightening the room. Other accents such as brass towel holders can also assist in brightening this savvy space.

EXTERIOR

The very first look potential buyers get at your house is what they see when they drive up to the curb. Real Estate Mogul Barbara Corcoran states, “Buyers decide within 8 seconds whether they are interested in your home.” In this case, the importance of a first impression is quite significant. 

To ensure it’s the most immaculate and memorable, stick with the golden rule: neutral colors never fail. The greater the curb appeal, the higher the house will sell for, and ultimately, the more money you’ll have in your pocket. Look around the community and while staying within the neutral realm, find a tone or accent that’ll subtly differentiate your house.

Traditional colors such as white, off-white and gray may not seem necessarily exciting, but they’re the surest bet to appeal to the masses and help you sell your house. If you’re set on adding a pop of color, paint the front door! Similar to the popularity of tuxedo cabinets, a Zillow study showed that the contrast between a light neutral house and a black front door raked in the highest price increase of $6,271. Any color, even a classic red or emerald green, can be easily and affordably changed by the new owners. 

WORDS OF WISDOM

Choosing the correct interior colors of your home is an important decision because of existing color correlations. Though we’ve discussed interior colors that could increase the cost of your home, Zillow also discovered color combinations that resulted in a loss of value. For example, avoid painting with deep reds as it’s associated with increased heart rates (and can lose you about $2,310 on the market). Equally as bright and negatively associated, yellows should be avoided. Though appearing as a cheery eccentric color, yellow triggers feelings of anxiety and frustration. Not only does it make someone lose their temper more easily, but it’ll cost you $3,408 in a price drop. Lastly, brown seems neutral enough, but its associations to loneliness and sadness make it an unappealing color to work with. 

If you’re still wondering which neutral is the best to go for, check out your neighborhood! Scan through recent listings and pay attention to the color schemes. Chances are, they’ve done their research as well and you’re both appealing to a similar buyer pool. Whether you’re living in a historic neighborhood chock-full of colonial architecture or a cul-de-sac of Mediterranean-inspired villas, you can’t go wrong with a neutral color fitting for the architecture. Make sure you test your paints to see how they dry before applying or buying in bulk. 

You’ve got the knowledge now to give your home a makeover, appeal to potential buyers’ imaginations, and sell your house at a premium, all with the right color scheme. Happy painting (and listing)!