It’s well known that a fresh coat of paint is a good idea if you’re planning on selling your home.
But as recent analysis from online real estate portal Zillow has found, the colour you choose to paint your home – and specific rooms within it – could influence its sale price significantly.
Overwhelmingly, the study found that neutral blues and greys are the colours to go for if you want more cash from your sale.
Zillow’s 2017 Paint Colour Analysis studied the colours of more than 32,000 homes sold across the USA to see if and how paint colour choice affected the sale price when compared to similar homes with rooms in a plain white palette.
The results are worth considering if you’re soon selling a property and are looking for ways to increase its sale price.
Light blue bathrooms
If you’re going to paint one room, you might want to make it your bathroom.
The study showed that bathrooms with light blue walls – from pale blue to soft periwinkle blue – got $5,440 more than expected.
Blue kitchens
Kitchens painted in a soft grey blue shade sold for $1,809 extra, well worth considering for a highly trafficked room that’s often considered the heart of the home.
Brown living rooms
While “brown” may not sound like an obviously enticing interior colour for many, Zillow found that living rooms painted in shades ranging from light beige to pale taupe and oatmeal received a $1,926 premium.
Cadet blue bedrooms
Bedrooms painted in shades from light cerulean to cadet blue fetched their owners an extra $1,865.
Slate blue dining rooms
Following on with the general theme, dining rooms painted in tones of slate blue and pale grey sold for $1,926 more than similar homes with white dining rooms.
“Greige” exteriors
The study found that the paint colour of the home’s exterior can also make a difference to the sale price.
Homes painted in “greige” (a grey-beige combination) sold for $3,496 more than their counterparts with a brown or tan stucco exterior.
Navy blue front doors
Finally, front doors painted in a navy blue palette – from dark navy blue to slate grey – made an extra $1,514 for their sellers.
According to Zillow, these cool neutral blues and greys are effective as they hold appeal for a broad audience and seem to signal that the house is well cared for.
Furthermore, the study also found that some colour choices can actually deter buyers and result in a diminished sale price. For instance, homes with terra cotta dining rooms sold for $2,031 less than anticipated.
However, it seems that a complete lack of colour is the biggest deterrent of all – homes with all white bathrooms sold for $4,035 less than similar homes.
Before you go painting every room in your house a pale grey-blue colour, it’s important to remember that paint colour is just one element that can contribute to a higher selling price.
A periwinkle blue bathroom won’t count for much if it also has mould, a shattered shower screen and a leaking roof.
Here are some other projects to complete before listing your home that can improve its sale price.
