For all the years that you’ve been living in your home, the decor has been all about your personal taste and preferences. But everything changes when you decide to sell. Now, you don’t want to have a home that’s personalized. You need a home that’s neutral, one that your potential buyers can imagine living in.
Your Realtor will advise you on the different things you can do to make your house less personal and more sellable. Aside from decluttering, taking personal photos off the wall, and doing away with extra furniture, one of the things your Realtor may recommend is painting your walls.
A fresh coat of paint will change the appearance of the entire house, making it look fresh, clean, and untouched. But, no matter how many nail holes you spackle, the one thing that potential homebuyers will notice is the paint color.
Does it make them feel welcome? Is it appealing? Or will they have to repaint before they move in? These are all the questions homebuyers ask themselves when they look at your house. You can overcome these objections before they even arise by choosing the right color.
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Feeling lost? Don’t be! Choose from our list of best paint colors for selling a house, and you will get it right every time.
Be Careful with White
White might seem like the best choice for several reasons. It’s light, neutral, and makes a room look bigger. And it’s one of the top design trends for 2022. However, white is a notoriously difficult color to get just right.
There are very few “pure” white paints. Almost every white will have some sort of undertone, either cool or warm. The cool undertones can make a room feel sterile and coldly unwelcoming. The warm undertones can feel dingy or even dirty.
Neutrals are your safest bet. Even if a potential buyer doesn’t love your exact tone of gray, they won’t feel like they have to run out and paint over it like they would, say, fuchsia. Unless you are selling your home as is, you want them to feel like they can move right in with zero to very minimal effort.
You also want potential buyers to imagine their furniture and home decor in your house. This is much easier for them to do when the backdrop is neutral. Sure, you might find a home buyer who loves orange as much as you do, but the best interior paint colors for selling a house are neutrals that will appeal to the general public.
How many paint colors should I use?
As a general rule, you want to stick to as few colors as possible, even if they are all neutrals. Using the same color in more than one area will give your home an overall cohesive feel. It also makes your home seem bigger, since there is an easy flow from one room to the next. And, using just one paint color will also help keep your costs down, since buying your paint in bulk is much less expensive than buying multiple gallons of different colors.
In an open space layout, such as a combination living/dining room or a kitchen that opens into a family room, you should use the same paint color for the entire area. For individual rooms that are not part of the main living area, for example, bathrooms or bedrooms, you can add some variety with different colors. Keep in mind, however, that even in these rooms the best interior paint colors for selling a house are neutrals.
Which color should I choose?
The best colors are neutrals, but which one? For 2021, the general consensus for best interior paint colors for selling a house are shades of greige. Greige is a combination of gray and beige, more sophisticated than an old-fashioned beige and at the same time more welcoming than a somber gray.
Traditional gray is also a good neutral, in a deeper hue such as pewter. To make it more interesting and less formal, use a gray with a blue undertone. You can easily pair this color with blue decor accents (throw pillows, artwork), which appeals equally to male and female buyers.
Beige is not as chic as the currently trendy gray/greige colors, but it is also a popular choice for neutrals. For homebuyers, it is a safe color, and one that they know that they can paint over quite easily, should they choose to do so.
You can also paint smaller rooms in different colors, for variety and visual appeal. Neutrals are always a safe bet, but you can also have some fun with colors.
Bathrooms
Pale blue is a great option for making a smaller room, such as a bathroom or laundry room, feel lighter, friendlier, and more spacious. Avoid white — houses with white bathrooms on average sold for $4,035 less.
The heart of a house, you can have fun with paint or accent colors in the kitchen. A light, almost neutral green (think mint or soft sage) is a great way to enhance a kitchen. Or, play it safe with a white or gray neutral.
After you’ve picked out the paint color, you will need to decide on the finish. Most paints are available in gloss, satin, or eggshell finishes. Occasionally a manufacturer will also throw in sheens such as semi-gloss or matte. Typically, the glossier the paint, the easier it is to wipe clean, so it’s best for areas with high traffic or which tend to get soiled more often.
Glossy Finish: best for busy parts of the house such as the kitchen and bathrooms
Satin Finish (very slight gloss): good for large, highly used areas such a living room
Eggshell Finish (almost matte): best used in bedrooms and other rooms that aren’t as busy
Don’t Forget the Trim
Painting the walls is a great start, but then you need to take it one step further. To really make your job stand out, you need to paint the trim. Trim includes anything that isn’t the actual walls: crown molding, baseboard, and door and window frames.
The best color for these is usually a bright white with a gloss or sheen. If you painted your walls white, choose a different shade of white (with a different undertone) so that the trim still stands out.
Choosing the best interior paint colors for selling a house can get you more offers and more money. If you’re not sure about which color to choose, a professional real estate agent can give invaluable advice. Find your Realtor through UpNest — our free service will connect you with 3-5 of the top real estate agents in your local market.
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Our network agents have been carefully vetted and often offer competitive, lower than averagecommission rates to UpNest customers. There is no obligation to sign up with one of our network Realtors, but when you can potentially save thousands on commission – why wouldn’t you? If you’re ready to get started, just enter your zipcode below!
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What is the best color to paint when selling a house?
When you’re painting your house to sell, you’ll want to stick with neutral or earthy tones, though you can choose white, beiges, greys, or even off-white colors. Depending on the room, you can even choose neutral shades of blue or green (like in the kitchen). You’ll also want to avoid white in bathrooms.
What are best interior paint colors for resale?
According to experts, blue is generally the best color for resale. Though it depends on room and shade, painting in neutral shades of blue often adds value to rooms like the kitchen and bathroom. White is often perceived as boring and can lower the value of certain rooms.
When you're painting your house to sell, you'll want to stick with neutral or earthy tones, though you can choose white, beiges, greys, or even off-white colors. Depending on the room, you can even choose neutral shades of blue or green (like in the kitchen). You'll also want to avoid white in bathrooms.
Eighty-one percent of interior design experts recently surveyed say whites and creams are the best colors to use when selling a house in 2022, according to the Paint & Color Trends 2022 Report conducted by Fixr, a home improvement resource.
White painted siding has the highest resale value, but it's also one of the most complex colors to maintain since it shows dirt and grime easily. Off-White – Off-white or light-colored paint colors are trendy in homes today because they make rooms look larger and help reflect more light.
"Generally, going with neutral colors like shades of white, beige, taupe, and grays lead to a faster sale," she shares. "Neutral colors are also more appealing to potential buyers because many want the creative freedom of a blank canvas to add their personal touches to when looking for a new place to call home.
You can never go wrong with whites, creams, and greige.
We're all looking for a clean and soothing space to live in, and paint is the backdrop. My go-to colors are white, cream, and greige (gray+beige). Depending on your home, one of these options will be perfect.
Not only will greige give your home a warm, elevated look; it will increase its value, too. "Painting your living room a neutral color like gray, beige, or light brown can add up to $2,000 to your home's value, which can be modernized with accents of white," says Bailey Carson, home care expert at Angi.
Subtle shades of brown, gray, and gold offer a welcoming, unassuming appearance for your home's exterior — which is a fabulous way to complement a modern, minimalist style.
According to data by Kissmetrics, colors influence how we interpret what we purchase. If you're looking to attract impulse buyers, look to red, orange, black, and royal blue. Shoppers on a budget, however, will find navy blue and teal hues appealing.
One of the worst colors to paint your home's exterior is brown. A 2018 study by Zillow found that homes painted in brown, taupe, or tan hues actually sold for about $1,970 less than homes with a white exterior.
Instead of a red kitchen, try white. White brings a fresh, bright palette to the kitchen and is the most attractive for potential homeowners. In fact, it was found that light, neutral colors will increase interest in a property as well as potential offers.
The consensus is that grey is out and warm neutrals will continue to dominate in 2023. "The color trends have gone from all white to warm neutrals, and in 2023 we will be warming up those neutrals even more," says Brooke Moore, Interior Designer at Freemodel .
Have you noticed that when we are selecting paint for our Unsellable Houses we almost always choose white or gray? There is a reason for that! White and gray have been proven to have the highest return on investment when selling your home!
Currently, painting your bathroom light blue can increase the value of your home by $5000. A light blue hue invites a calm, serene, and relaxing environment that compliments almost any decor or design style. Light yellow, cream, beige, and gray are also favorites of prospective home buyers.
Aside from yellow and orange - if retaining value is important to you, look to jewel tones like purple, red, green and blue. Researchers say they hold their value better than average.
Lighter colors have higher values. For example, orange has a higher value than navy blue or dark purple. Black has the lowest value of any hue, and white the highest.
Black front doors are the most popular of front door color ideas amongst real estate professionals who suggest that this timeless tone could raise your property's value by up to $6,500. Here's what you need to know about this ever-popular front door pick.
Use a neutral hue such as brown, black, or gray for a look that will withstand the test of time. Even deep reds and navy blues are classic front door colors that act as neutrals. If your style changes or you alter your home's exterior later, neutral hues will adapt with you.
Described as coral tinged with pink, Benjamin Moore's 2023 Color of the Year, Raspberry Blush, is an exciting choice for the living room. The charismatic color works well as an accent wall or the entire room.
Specifically, colors such as beige, grey, and white can capture that welcoming feeling. In the case of the color white, specifically creamy white gives a room an attractive look and pleasant atmosphere.
Red is the color of power. It gets people's attention and it holds it, which is why it's the most popular color for marketing. The word SALE is always red, and you'll often find red a common tie color for professionals.
Choosing the wrong shade of gray may either increase or decrease the final sale price of your home by more than $1,000. Homeowners who chose to use slate gray on their dining room walls, for example, got $1,100 below the expected sale price for their home.
Beach house: It may come as no surprise that the most valuable homes in the nation are beach houses, coming in at an average sale price of $1,223,310. Since this style of home typically comes with beach access or ocean views, its high value makes sense—especially considering that the land itself comes at a high cost.
Warm colors also rev you up! They can signal danger or make you take action, like the color of stop signs, caution tape or the agitated faces of disgruntled airline passengers. Red can even make you hungry, which is why it's a favorite with fast food chains.
Blue is known for its trust and dependability. It's reliable, responsible, and mentally soothing. For that reason alone, it's one of the most-liked colors across the entire world.
The most popular color in the world is blue. The second favorite colors are red and green, followed by orange, brown and purple. Yellow is the least favorite color, preferred by only five percent of people.
Blue is the most popular color choice for the top brands. It is thought to put people at ease, as it reminds them of the sky and the ocean. Blue is also associated with trust, security, and confidence which make a great combination for the brands that want these elements in their message.
“I have seen cabinets successfully painted shades of white, gray, navy, deep green, and even black,” Lozada says. She says light neutrals are generally the best colors for resale because they appeal to most people, but she advises against painting cabinets taupe or beige.
6. What cabinet color has the best resale value? Most real estate agents will tell sellers that neutral colors will appeal to the widest audience. While white is a very popular color for kitchen cabinets, other neutrals like gray, black, and beige are also good.
What is the most popular color for a kitchen? According to kitchen design and painting experts, the most popular color for a kitchen is tied between navy blue and white. Home stagers and listing agents often suggest painting the kitchen a fresh white color to make the space look larger, cleaner and inviting.
Of all the neutrals, gray is the one that always held the most gravitas with designers and decorators, however, gray is slowly being replaced by beige. Elegant and timeless in their simplicity, beige schemes have become a stalwart in the world of interiors.
It's beige. Yes, beige is coming back in style after years of being synonymous with boring or bland. Warm neutral paint and upholstery colors are now taking favor over grays, with shades like tan, taupe, ivory and beige (even brown!) rising in popularity.
Paint color transforms a space's energy. For 2023, the experts are seeing an earthy rainbow. Sapphire deep blues, muted greens, and an in-between ethereal shade are all in the forecast.
Joanna Gaines is known for her modern farmhouse look; to achieve this style, she often relies on shades of grey. Suggested gray paint colors to attain her look are: Modern Gray (SW 7632)Dorian Gray (SW 7017)
Vibrant tones like reds, yellows, dark blues, and deep greens fade faster. In contrast, neutral tones like whites, greys, greiges, and beiges last longer. Not only will these paints stay color-true longer when they fade, but it will also look more natural.
Builder's Beige is the generic colour that most new homes come with. It usually is the colour that a builder uses for an entire subdivision of homes. These colours may actually have sophisticated sounding names but they are just different shades of builder's beige.
When it comes to colors, choosing a neutral palette will ensure that you have a timeless bathroom design throughout the years. For walls and appliances, sticking to colors like gray, white, and black are recommended. Selecting these colors makes it easy to match with décor.
Deep hues can create a sense of comfort while introducing an element of drama. Charcoal, which is warmer than other grays but not as harsh as black, pairs with white and wood tones to form a calming bathroom color scheme. Teal accessories brighten the look.
The bathroom is a place where home buyers want to feel relaxed. They want a spa-like atmosphere, a calm, clean, neutral ambiance that is created using natural decor elements, and a light, neutral colour palette.
According to fashion's top designers, we're in for a very regal 2022. Just look at the color palette! Royal purple, jewel-tone teal, and burning red are all trending hues incorporated on the Fall/Winter 2022 runways, each with its glamorous style.
Cerulean blue, fiery red, mint green and imperial yellow are the lucky colours for 2022. These colours are derived from the four elements of Feng Shui — wood (primary element of the tiger), water (element of the year 2022), fire, earth and the Yang polarity.
Benjamin Moore's pick for color of the year 2022 is a soft, silvery-green called October Mist 1495. This botanical shade mimics the pale green of a flower stem and serves as the foundation for the brand's larger 2022 color trends palette.
By far the most popular paint color trend for 2022 is gray green. Three major paint companies chose shades of it as their color of the year. And almost every other company had at least one gray green in their trending colors list. Benjamin Moore chose 'October Mist' for their 2022 color of the year.
The Pantone Color Institute named Viva Magenta as its official color of the year for 2023 for its joyous yet powerful nature. A red with subtle notes of purple, magenta flawlessly complements many different color palettes from those on the richer, jewel-tone side of the spectrum to even a lighter, earthy palette.
As per the Feng Shui principle, the year 2022 is rich with blue, red, mint green and an imperial shade of yellow. These four colors are derived based on the 2022 feng shui forecast, which states the tiger's primary element.
As the reigning champion of interior paint, white is a color that transcends both time and decorating styles. White can make a room feel bright, fresh and up-to-date in settings ranging from modern to traditional.
The truth is blue is the most popular color, being preferred by more than 35% of world's population which basically means that every 4 people in a group of ten favor blue over any other color.
Introduction: My name is Trent Wehner, I am a talented, brainy, zealous, light, funny, gleaming, attractive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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