Certain colors likely to increase home sale priceA recent Zillow study discovered that the right paint color in the right room could significantly impact a home’s sale price.

The research concluded that pale interior paint colors in the bathroom, like sky blue, will likely increase a home’s sale price by $4,698, while homes with mint green kitchens could sell for $1,830 less than the sale price.

Homeowners usually tackle two home improvement projects before putting their home on the market, with interior paint being one of the most common. Choosing the right colors can help homeowners sell their homes quicker, typically seeing a return on investment.

Related: Top Ways to Make Money When Selling Your Home

How Did the Study Work?

The study used 1,300 participants who had either bought a home within the last two years or planned to purchase a home in the next two years.

Zillow showed each participant four different rooms, with each room randomly assigned a paint color. The rooms consisted of bathrooms, bedrooms, living room, and kitchen. After viewing the color and room, the participants then suggested how interested they would be in touring the home, purchasing the home, and the price they would be willing to pay.

Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert, suggested that home sellers leverage these findings to increase home sales prices, selecting a paint color that will give them a lead in the market.

Which Colors Are Likely to Increase a Home’s Sale Price

For anyone planning some light renovations before selling their home, these are Zillow’s recommendations for colors in particular rooms.

Bathroom

Best color: Light Blue

Light blue comes out ahead as the most voted color for the bathroom. Zillow’s survey participants who looked at the pale blue bathroom photo claimed they would be willing to pay an average of a 1.6% increase in the offer price of a $290,000 home. This price hike is the equivalent of nearly $5000.

Popular Alternatives: In the Zillow survey, neutral and delicate colors were preferred, including greys, off-whites, and light yellows.

Colors to Avoid: While the survey suggested that light yellow positively affected potential home prices, brighter yellows seemed to have the opposite effect. Other colors that resulted in a decrease in interest or a  possible offer on the home were bright reds, bright greens, and pinks. Home sellers should stick to softer, pale colors in the bathroom.

Kitchen

Best color: White

A white kitchen was a favorite among many surveyed. The study suggests that a neutral light color has a significant impact on interest in viewing a property. It also increased the likelihood of a buyer purchasing a home.

Popular Alternatives: Many colors corresponded to a slight increase in buyer interest. Dark red, dark gray, and dark green performed reasonably, with light-yellow and off-white also exciting buyers.

Colors to Avoid: Survey participants disliked bright paint colors in the kitchen. A bright yellow kitchen decreased buyer’s interest, while bold reds decreased potential offers by around $1,500.

Living Room

Best color: Gray

A living room with a gray wall inspired the most survey participants to say they would like to view or purchase a home.

Popular Alternatives: Light green colors increased offer prices by several hundred dollars, with white and dark gray colors helping surveyed buyers decide to tour a home.

Colors to Avoid: Bright yellow living rooms performed poorly, lowering offer prices and interest in home tours.

Bedroom

Best color: Dark blue

Dark blue was the most popular color in the bedroom. Participants preferred pale colors overall; however, they did tend to enjoy a dark, bold blue in the bedroom. In the study, this color positively influenced the average potential price participants were willing to offer.

Popular Alternatives: Dark and light neutral colors like light blues and greys proved popular among surveyed buyers.

Colors to Avoid: Bright greens, bright yellows, and pinks turn off prospective buyers. As suggested, colors that are too bold should be limited in the bedroom. Neutral colors make the space more inviting and tranquil, and therefore more appealing to prospective buyers.

Related: Selling Your Home? Here Are the Décor Trends You Need to Know

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