Light Colors Boost Home Sale Prices, Dark Colors Draw More Interest

The right paint color in the right room can have a major impact on a buyer's impression of a home and its sale price. Zillow's latest interior paint color analysis found that homes with light blue bathrooms could sell for up to USD 4,698 more than expected, while homes with fashionable mint green kitchens could sell for USD 1,830 less than expected. These findings are based on new research conducted by Zillow® among approximately 1,300 recent or prospective U.S. home buyers. Each color received a score based on participants' interest in touring a home, purchasing a home, and the price they were 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 USD 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 purchasing a home with a light blue bathroom and were willing to pay on average 1.6 percent or USD 4,698 more than expected for a typical U.S. home. Do you love dramatic, dark rooms? If homeowners are thinking about selling, the best place to use dark tones might be the primary bedroom. Dark blue bedrooms scored 89 out of 100 and were associated with an average sales premium of USD 1,491. Deep charcoal gray and rich forest green also scored positively when used in the primary bedroom. Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert, says, "Sellers typically tackle two home improvement projects before listing their homes for sale, and interior painting is one of the most common and effective projects sellers undertake. Homeowners preparing to put their homes on the market can be strategic about the paint colors they choose to get the best bang for their buck. Interior painting typically costs around USD 385 per room, but the right colors can pay for themselves." Recent and potential buyers were not as enthusiastic about mint green kitchens, a popular design trend. These buyers would pay on average USD 1,830 less for a home with a mint green kitchen. Kitchens painted fire hydrant red and sun yellow, which is Pantone's Color of the Year, were also poorly received. While some study participants loved these bold choices, most did not, describing them as "trashy" and "really ugly." However, whether loved or disliked, colorful rooms were the most effective at capturing a potential buyer's attention. Buyers reported being more interested in learning about homes with at least one main room painted an unexpected color. For example, more than 70 percent of survey participants said they wanted to learn more about a home with a burgundy bedroom, but this did not predict their likelihood of making an offer on that home. In conclusion, it pays to be careful when selecting paint colors in high-traffic common areas such as kitchens and living rooms. White scored 80 out of 100 in the kitchen, while light gray scored 92 out of 100 in the living room. If sellers are looking for the perfect neutral, Zillow uses BEHR® Premium Plus paint in Old Biscuit or Polar Bear color to refresh walls before listing a home for sale on Zillow. Kate Rogers, a senior behavioral scientist at Zillow, said, "Our research found that home buyers can be particularly sensitive to paint color, even though painting is a relatively easy and inexpensive change, because they are navigating a complex environment with a lot of uncertainty. Study participants perceived the home more positively when they thought the homeowner had tastes similar to their own, and they were also more likely to make a higher offer for the home. Using light neutral colors in the common areas of the home allows buyers to project their own image onto the home." While there were some universal winners, this research found wide variability in color perceptions. Bright blue was by far the most polarizing color tested; some loved it while others disliked it entirely. Study participants also noticed when a room's color clashed with the rest of the home and suggested that homeowners consider choosing complementary colors. This summer, BEHR will introduce an interior paint palette based on Zillow's research, making it easier for homeowners to choose colors that could increase their home's sale price. This partnership will soon expand to home improvement stores across the country.

1 This study was conducted between 14 May 2021 and 20 May 2021 by BEworks and Zillow and included 1,295 U.S. adults with a median age of 35 who indicated they purchased a home in the past two years or planned to purchase a home within the next two years. For each section of the study, participants examined four images of a home (kitchen, living room, primary bathroom, primary bedroom) with one of 15 colors randomly assigned to each room.

Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/homes-with-light-blue-bathrooms-dark-blue-bedrooms-could-sell-for-up-to4-698-more-than-expected-301334452.html

  Prepared by: B.Serhat Cengiz