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Realtors will often tell their clients to look past cosmetic issues, but color psychology is real and it can cost you thousands of dollars off the sale price of your home. If you want to entice buyers to click on your online listing or pop into your next open house, it’s important to consider your interior and exterior paint color choices.
Real estate site Zillow analyzed more than 135,000 photos from sold homes across the United States to pinpoint the paint colors that, on average, increased or decreased their final sale price. Similar homes with white walls were used as a constant to measure the price impact. Here are seven key takeaways from Zillow’s most recent paint color analysis.
1. Make a memorable first impression with a black or charcoal gray front door
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Come to the dark side…we have increased home values. Residences with a black or charcoal gray front door can net the seller an additional $6,271. That’s one hell of a return considering a single can of exterior paint sells for around $40 at your local hardware store.
2. Add contrast to your kitchen with two-tone cabinets
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Two-tone kitchen cabinets are totally on-trend, and homebuyers seem to agree. Homes with tuxedo kitchens sold at a premium of $1,547. The most popular color combos were white or light colored upper cabinets paired with dark navy or black lowers. Contrasting kitchen islands also performed well. Looking for some inspiration? Check out these 15 two-tone kitchen cabinet ideas.
3. Create a relaxing atmosphere in your bathroom with light blue paint
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There’s something intrinsically calming about a light blue bathroom. Give yours a spa-like quality by reaching for the periwinkle blue paint (a gray-blue tint is best) and expect to see returns of $2,786, on average.
4. Keep your living room neutral (but not boring) using taupe
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Do not confuse taupe with the oft-detested beige. Taupe is blend of brown and gray — if you’re looking for a reference, this family photo of the Kardashians at Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 3 Show in 2016 should do the trick. It’s a modern neutral that features warm or cool undertones. Zillow found that light taupe with pink or peach undertones performed the best, boosting home sales by an impressive $2,793.
5. Avoid unappetizing brown paint in the dining room
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Steer clear of oat brown to medium sandy brown hues in the dining room, or any brown paint color with yellowish undertones that was popular in the early 2000s. If you haven’t repainted since the first season of Trading Spaces premiered, you could lose out on $1,684.
6. Curb your enthusiasm for red in the kitchen
Photo: yeshomebuyers.com
While they say the color red can increase appetite, Zillow’s data suggests that a red kitchen won’t have homeshoppers coming back for seconds. A variety of hues, from brick or barn red to a lighter raspberry red, were deemed off putting — reducing the average selling price by a whopping $2,310.
7. Repaint a yellow exterior or prepare to pay up
Repainting the exterior of your home is a big investment, and home sellers may be unwilling to fork over thousands of dollars for a fresh new look. That said, if you’ve got a creamy bright yellow to a flax yellow exterior, or even a warm yellow with brown undertones, you may want to consider calling the painters — you could miss out on an extra $3,408.
