Top 3 Exterior Paint Colors to Boost Home Value in 2020
Repainting a home before you sell is always a good idea, especially if it’s been more than five years since the last paint job. A fresh coat of exterior paint is an immediate facelift, a signal to buyers that the home is cared for and move-in ready.
This year, Portland home buyers are going back to the basics, gravitating toward homes that look inviting, cozy and classic. Check out the top three real estate-agent approved colors to paint your home before you sell.
Our Top Three House Colors for 2020
1. Creamy Mushroom by Behr
When to use it: Contemporary-style homes, ranch houses, traditional-looking homes
What it is: Most people know this color as “greige”, but we like “creamy mushroom” so much better! Whatever you want to call it, this color is comforting, classic and all-around-agreeable, if not a stand-out. See it in the paint can and you might have a hard time getting excited, but check out a few Portland home listings and you’ll see the mushroom tone’s power to show off a home’s solid bones, clean lines and powerful accents.
How to make it look great: A neutral beige like this one looks incredible on homes with partial brick exteriors or accents. No brick? A red front door and trim will create a similar warm and inviting feel.
2. Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore
When to use it: Craftsman, Victorian or other vintage-style homes, big homes that want to blend in
What it is: Navy blue meets stormy grey for a rich and evocative shade that looks stunning with bright-white trim. Because it isn’t overbearingly blue, this color looks great on homes that are highly visible from the street and/or have large expanses of exterior wall space. Hale Navy makes a statement, but that statement is, “You’re home.”
How to make it look great: Pick trim accents carefully — too much white will distract from this grey’s muted functionality. A black or dark grey front door will complete the look, and happens to be the top front door color shown to boost home value!
3. Oklahoma Wheat by Behr
When to use it: Smaller homes, ranch homes, any home that needs to appear bright and cheery!
What it is: True, Portland is no Oklahoma wheat field, but homes here take well to this color. It’s just yellow enough to be cheerful, but with enough calming brown undertones to appeal to a large swatch of home buyers. It’s eye-catching but not shout-y, a color to set your home apart while evoking warm stucco.
How to make it look great: This color will stand out against dark green foliage or a healthy lawn. It’s also best for natural wood or brown doors, but green or gray will work just as well.
Don’t take our word for it – preview on your house!
It’s 2020, which means you no longer have to guess at what your home will look like in a new color. There are digital tools out there to generate previews of any color at the click of a button! Here are our favorites:
Behr Paint Your Place. Upload a photo of your home, and use a virtual brush or fill tool to see different colors on the walls. Behr also suggests color palettes, so all you need to do is start with one color. Share buttons allow you to get a second opinion.
Sherwin-Williams’ ColorSnap Visualizer. This tool is slightly more advanced, with the ability to custom-select areas to be painted, and quickly toggle back and forth between painted and unpainted views. You can also save your creation or download it for easy sharing.
