Homes with Blue Bathrooms Sell for $5,400 More than Expected

For-sale listings with cool, neutral wall colors sell for more money, according to Zillow analysis; homes with white, yellow or red wall colors can sell for less than expected

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Zillow

Jun 01, 2017, 08:00 ET

SEATTLE, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A fresh coat of paint in the right color may help sell a home for more money. According to a Zillow analysis, homes with walls painted in shades of blue or light gray may sell for as much as a $5,400 premium.ⁱ

Zillow's 2017 Paint Color Analysis looked at more than 32,000 photos from sold homes around the country to see how certain paint colors impacted their sale price on average, when compared to similar homes with white walls.

Homes with blue bathrooms, often found in hues of powder blue or light periwinkle, sold for $5,440 more than expected, the highest sales premium of all colors analyzed. Walls painted in other cool, natural tones like pale gray or oatmeal were also present in top-performing listings.

A home's exterior color may also have an impact on its sale price. Homes painted in "greige," a mix of light gray and beige, sold for $3,496 more than similar homes painted in a medium brown or with tan stucco. For a pop of color, homes with front doors painted in shades of dark navy blue to slate gray sold for $1,514 more.

Some colors may actually deter buyers. Homes with darker, more style-specific walls like terracotta dining rooms sold for $2,031 less than expected. However, a lack of color may have the biggest negative impact as homes with white bathrooms sold for an average of $4,035 below similar homes.

"Color can be a powerful tool for attracting buyers to a home, especially in listing photos and videos," says Svenja Gudell, Zillow chief economist. "Painting walls in fresh, natural-looking colors, particularly in shades of blue and pale gray not only make a home feel larger, but also are neutral enough to help future buyers envision themselves living in the space. Incorporating light blue in kitchens and bathrooms may pay off especially well as the color complements white countertops and cabinets, a growing trend in both rooms."

Selecting the right paint color is one of many factors that may affect why a home sells faster or for more money. Walls painted in cool neutrals like blue or gray have broad appeal and may be signals that the home is well cared for or has other desirable features. Sellers can also consult Zillow's Owners Dashboard to see in real time how their listing is performing compared to similar ones on the market.

Room Type	Color	Color Description (what this color looks like in homes)	Effect (on average, how much more or less the home sold for)	Most Common Metro
Kitchen	Blue	Light blue to soft gray-blue	$1,809	Charlotte, NC
Kitchen	Yellow	Straw yellow to marigold	- $820	Detroit, MI
Bathroom	Blue/Purple	Light powder blue to periwinkle	$5,440	Philadelphia, PA
Bathroom	White/No Color	Off-white or eggshell white	- $4,035ⁱⁱ	N/A
Bedroom	Blue	Light cerulean to cadet blue	$1,856	Philadelphia, PA
Bedroom	Pink	Light pink to antique rose; often found in kids' rooms	- $208	Houston, TX
Dining Room	Blue	Slate blue to pale gray blue; navy blue also found in dining rooms with white shiplap	$1,926	Boston, MA
Dining Room	Red	Brick red, terracotta or copper red	- $2,031	N/A
Living Room	Brown	Light beige, pale taupe, oatmeal	$1,809	Chicago, IL
Living Room	Blue	Pastel gray, pale silver to light blue, periwinkle	- $820	Baltimore, MD
Home Exterior	Gray/Brown	Greige - mix of gray and beige	$1,526	N/A
Home Exterior	Brown	Medium brown, taupe or stucco	- $1,970	N/A
Front Door	Gray/Blue	Navy blue to dark gray or charcoal	$1,514	N/A

Zillow

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ⁱ The Zillow Paint Colors that Sell Analysis measured how certain room type and paint color combinations impact the sale price of a home. Zillow looked at more than 32,000 photos from listings around the country that sold between 2010 and Feb. 2017, to identify what paint colors may lead to a home selling for more, or less than the home's Zestimate when compared to homes with white walls. The analysis controlled for all other wall colors, square footage, the age of the home, the date of the transaction and location. Color and room combination price effects are estimates of the average premium/discount, but may not indicate a true difference in value compared to white.

ⁱⁱ Average difference over all color tags.

SOURCE Zillow