Jul 4, 2026
Before you pick up a paintbrush, you may want to check the data. A bold bathroom wall, it turns out, could cost you nearly $8,000 at closing.
That’s one of the more striking findings from Zillow’s 2026 paint color analysis, which surveyed thousands of home buyers to determine how interior paint colors affect their interest in a property, their likelihood to book a showing and, crucially, how much they’d actually offer.
Advertisement
The research found that the right color can add more than $2,277 to a buyer’s offer, while the wrong one can push that number in the opposite direction by several thousand dollars.
Thanks for subscribing!
Read the best of Moneywise in 5 minutes or less.
By signing up, you accept Moneywise Terms of Use, Subscription Agreement, and Privacy Policy.
The single biggest negative finding — a red bathroom — was associated with offers roughly $7,971 lower than an equivalent white bathroom. A blush pink bathroom fared nearly as badly, pulling offers down by an estimated $6,013 compared to white.
What works, room by room
Zillow’s data found that buyers are moving away from stark white interiors and toward warmer, more grounded tones.
“Buyers today respond to homes with soul, and paint is one of the easiest, most affordable ways to add personality and character to a space,” said Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert. “The right colors can stop an online home shopper mid-scroll and instantly create an emotional connection, which ultimately drives higher offers.”
The standout color across the entire study was sage green — the only shade to rank at the top in every room of the home. In the bedroom, sage green was linked to offers about $1,035 higher than a white room. In the living room, the boost was around $471. And in the bathroom, while not associated with a specific price premium, sage green ranked highest for attracting buyer interest and driving tour intentions.
For the bedroom specifically, the top performer was a warm chocolate brown (specifically Sherwin-Williams’ Turkish Coffee): buyers may offer an estimated $2,277 more than they would for a white room.
In the living room, pale blue was the top performer, linked to offers running about $1,723 higher than a white room. Charcoal gray (Peppercorn) was a close second at $1,509 higher and has held its position as a buyer favorite for three consecutive years.
In the kitchen, charcoal gray again led the way, potentially boosting offers by nearly $1,373. A bold red-violet called Expressive Plum also performed well, associated with offers about $867 higher than white kitchens.
Advertisement
Must Read
- The ultra-rich use these 5 real estate strategies to build wealth while they sleep — you can start with just $100
- Here’s the average income of Americans by age in 2026. Are you keeping up or falling behind?
- Insurance companies profit most from drivers who auto-renew without shopping around. Comparing 100+ quotes takes 2 minutes and costs nothing
Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
Colors to avoid
Beyond the red bathroom, Zillow identified three colors that consistently underperformed across all rooms: ochre yellow, bold red and blush pink. In each room studied, ochre yellow ranked at or close to the bottom for offer price, buyer interest and tour intentions. The message from buyers is fairly consistent: colors that feel highly personal or trend-specific tend to narrow the buyer pool.
That said, Zillow and Pendleton are careful to note that these numbers shouldn’t override a homeowner’s enjoyment of their own space.
“If an ochre yellow kitchen brings you joy, embrace it!” Pendleton said. “There will be some buyers who will love your yellow kitchen as much as you do. But getting top dollar for your home is all about appealing to the most potential buyers.”
Is repainting worth it financially?
For sellers weighing whether to repaint before listing, the ROI case is strong. According to Angi, interior painting delivers an average return on investment of around 107% — meaning a $3,500 painting project could add roughly $7,245 to a home’s resale value.
Professional interior painting costs between $2 and $6 per square foot, with full-home projects typically ranging from $2,000 to $15,000 depending on condition and size.
Zillow has found that nearly one-third of sellers paint their home before listing. Based on the data, the color they choose matters as much as the decision to paint at all.
You May Also Like
- JP Morgan sees gold hitting $6,000/oz before 2027 — and a Gold IRA lets you hold the physical metal while deferring the tax bill. Get your free guide from Priority Gold
- Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s what it is and the simple steps to fix it ASAP
- Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how
- Millionaires under 43 are reshaping investing — just 25% of their portfolios are in stocks. Here’s where their money is going
With a writing and editing career spanning over 15 years, Emma creates and refines content across a broad spectrum of industries, including personal finance, lifestyle, travel, health & wellness, real estate, beauty & fitness and B2B/SaaS/tech.
