Increasing your home’s value by $6,000 is as simple as painting your front door black. “For a seller, painting a front door is one of the least expensive home prep projects, but also one that can have a powerful impact on a home’s sale price,” Kerrie Kelly, a home design expert for Zillow, said in a statement. Zillow released a new analysis showing that by painting your front door a dark shade such as black or charcoal it could increase a home’s value by $6,271.
Zillow released their analysis after examining 135,000 photos from listings across the U.S. since 2010. On average, Zillow discovered homes with charcoal gray or black front doors sold for as much as $6,271 more than expected.
While incorporating photos and videos into your listing it is also noted that painting your door with a darker shade has more to do with the contrast displayed rather than just your front door being painted black. Real estate experts have noticed the color change trend of pops of color specifically those of darker shades such as dark blues, grays, and blacks. By using contrasting colors it will add interest and dimensions throughout the rooms of your home.
A black door isn’t the only upgrade you should consider, also popular are “tuxedo kitchens.” These two-toned kitchen cabinets have also become a trend when looking at houses. When you hear the word tuxedo you often associate the word with black and white but, a “Tuxedo Kitchen” means that the upper wall cabinets are one shade while the floor cabinets are a different shade of color and they can be any combination of either light or dark shades.
For Zillow’s 2018 Paint Color Analysis, Zillow was able to identify which color schemes are considered most valuable by comparing closing prices of homes with white walls compared to home with color schemes. Zillow has also found which colors can actually hurt a home’s value by not being “trendy” at the time of listing. In general, it is noted that the color red is known to be an anxiety-inducing hue, that’s a warning sign already, stay away from red. Other colors that have the potential to knock a home’s value down include yellow exteriors, brown dining rooms and of course the dreadful red kitchens.
While painting your door black is a great increase to a home’s value, another eye pleaser is light blue bathrooms and even light taupe living rooms. Light blues are great calming colors while also very appealing to the eye.
Color trends are always changing, with that in mind, if you are looking to sell soon then these would be some key ideas to keep in mind. On the other hand, if you are waiting to sell your home for a couple more years you might want to put the paint brush down until you are ready to sell due to the trends constantly changing. For instance, Zillow decided yellow kitchens and purple dining rooms were the new trend and now, two years later, they are not.
