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Zillow shares tips on picking the right paint colors to help sell your home for more $$

Posted at 8:17 AM, Dec 01, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-01 11:26:02-05

Zillow is a paid sponsor of Sonoran Living

Zillow: Homes with Light Blue Bathrooms Could Sell for Nearly $5,000 More Than Expected

The right paint color in the right room can have a big impact on a buyer’s impression of a home and a home’s sale price. Zillow’s latest interior paint color analysis finds that homes with light blue bathrooms could sell for up to $4,698 more than expected, while homes with trendy mint green kitchens could sell for $1,830 less than expected.

These findings are based on a new Zillow®-commissioned study of nearly 1,300 recent or prospective U.S. homebuyers. Each color received a score based on how interested participants were in touring a home, buying a home and the price they would be willing to pay for the home, based on viewing that color in a particular room. Price premiums were calculated based on a typical U.S. home value of $290,000.

The clear winner was pale sky blue in the bathroom, scoring 93 out of 100. Recent and prospective buyers said they were more interested in touring and buying a home with a light blue bathroom and, on average, they were willing to pay 1.6% more than expected ― or $4,698 on a typical U.S. home.

The primary bedroom is the best place to go dark if homeowners are thinking about resale. Dark blue bedrooms scored 89 out of 100, and, on average, were associated with a $1,491 sale premium. Deep charcoal gray and rich forest green also received positive scores when painted in a primary bedroom.

“Sellers typically tackle two home improvement projects before listing their home for sale, and interior painting is one of the most common and impactful projects sellers take on,” says Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert. “Homeowners who are preparing to list their home for sale can be strategic about the paint colors they select to get the most bang for their buck. Interior painting averages $385 per room, but the right colors can pay for themselves.”

Mint green kitchens, a hot design trend, got the cold shoulder from recent and prospective buyers. Those buyers would pay, on average, $1,830 less for a home with a mint green kitchen. Kitchens painted fire-hydrant red and sunshine yellow, the Pantone Color of the Year, were also overwhelmingly unpopular.

Ultimately, it pays to play it safe when it comes to selecting paint colors in common spaces, like the kitchen and living room. The color white scored 80 out of 100 in the kitchen, while light gray in the living room scored 92 out of 100.

“Our study found homebuyers may be particularly sensitive to paint color, despite paint being a relatively easy and inexpensive change, because they’re navigating a complex environment with a lot of uncertainty,” said Kate Rogers, a senior behavioral scientist at Zillow. “When study participants thought the homeowner had similar tastes to them, they perceived the home more positively and were also more likely to make a higher offer on the home.” Or visit Zillow.com