Home sellers hoping to get the highest price for their listing should pay particular attention to room paint colors, among other aesthetic considerations that can drum up interest among buyers.
Why? Color selection can boost a home's sale price by almost $2,600, according to a new report from real estate marketplace Zillow. The hottest kitchen color right now is olive green, according to the survey of thousands of homebuyers. Various shades of muted green in a home's kitchen — its hearth — can generate more buyer interest, Zillow found.
House hunters are even willing to pay up to about $1,600 more for a kitchen with cabinets in the elegant green tone, according to Zillow's analysis.
"Olive green is a timeless, grounding color that evokes a sense of calm and sophistication," Sue Wadden, Sherwin-Williams director of color marketing, said in a statement. Sherwin-Williams paint shades in the earthy color family include "Ripe Olive," "Secret Garden" and "Succulent."
An olive green kitchen can boost a home's sale price, according to research from Zillow.
Image courtesy of Sherwin-Williams
Sellers seeking top dollar for homes they're looking to off-load would also do well to set aside their own aesthetic preferences in the most personal of rooms — the bedroom.
Classic navy walls are most desired by buyers, who are willing to pay an estimated $1,815 more for a home that features navy blue in the bedroom, according to Zillow's research.
"Navy blue is a classic that adds depth and elegance," Wadden said. "It works well in both traditional and modern spaces and can act as a neutral when styled correctly."
Staging a home by removing one's personal belongings, and bringing in a pro to help viewers imagine a residence's potential, can boost sale prices and reduce the amount of time a listing sits on the market, benefitting sellers, research from the National Association of Realtors shows.
Zillow also found that buyers tend to prefer dark gray living rooms, versus lighter colors. A dark neutral color can boost a buyer's offer by about $2,600, according to the analysis.
Bright, playful colors, by contrast, might draw attention but tend to turn off buyers. A lemon yellow kitchen or scarlet red bedroom, for example, can shave a home's sale price by thousands, according to the study.
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Megan Cerullo