As it turns out, when it comes to real estate, Americans value the color blue. Zillow’s 2017 Paint Colors Analysis found that the color can add value to home when painted in the appropriate rooms.

In the recent study, Zillow analyzed photos of more than 32,000 homes that were sold in the United States to see how paint color could have affected the price.

Homes with soft blue kitchens were found to have sold for about $1,809 more — especially in Charlotte, NC — while homes with yellow kitchens were sold for about $820 less on average.

But the benefits of blue go beyond the kitchen. Interestingly, the bathroom color seemed to have the biggest impact in sales versus any other room. Homes with blue bathrooms, most often powder blue or periwinkle, sold for about $5,400 more than expected. White paint faired the worst here. White, eggshell or off-white saw values slip more than $4,000. Other top performing colors were light gray or oatmeal.

“Color can be a powerful tool for attracting buyers to a home, especially in listing photos and videos,” Svenja Gudell, Zillow chief economist, says in a press release.

In the dining room, slate blue, gray blue and navy blue with white shiplap brought in nearly $2000 more than expected, while red dining rooms took a big hit — $2,031 less (yikes!).

Blue bedrooms (light cerulean to cadet blue) added about $1,856 to property value while pink bedrooms cause a small hit of $208.

Even a blue or gray front door was found to increase a home’s price tag $1,514.

How can one color have such sway over price? “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,” Gudell says. “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.”

The only room where it doesn’t pay to paint blue? Homes with blue living rooms took a $820 hit on average when compared to homes with brown living rooms (whether oatmeal, pale taupe or light beige) which sold for $1,809 more.

Blue makes another appearance when it comes to the exterior. Front doors in shades of dark navy blue to slate grey sold for $1,514 more, and “greige,” a mix of light grey and beige, sold for $3,496 more than homes painted medium brown or with tan stucco.

So if you’re thinking about selling this season, a few gallons of the blue stuff could see your pockets lined with a little more green.

Is it time to brighten up ur kitchen? #NDAkitchens #kitchens

A post shared by NDA Kitchen Co. (@ndakitchens) on

#decor #southerncharm #bluefrontdoor #lovethecolor #entrywaydecor

A post shared by Cheri Johnson (@luxe_interior_inspirations) on

Comments

comments

Author

Meghan is a full-time writer exploring the fun facts behind food. She lives a healthy lifestyle but lives for breakfast, dessert and anything with marinara. She’s thrown away just as many meals as she’s proud of.