8 Surprising Colors That Will Decrease Your Home's Value, According to Experts

It’s true that some homebuyers are so savvy and discerning that they can look past things like quirky paint choices and neglected landscaping and just see whether a home has good bones—and the right price. But the reality is, most buyers are more likely to pursue a property if they can imagine themselves (and their stuff) in the rooms. “Many buyers can’t look beyond very taste-specific colors, which is one of the reasons realtors put such an emphasis on staging, which often includes having rooms painted,” says Frank D. Isoldi, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Realty in Westfield, New Jersey.

Choosing the wrong paint colors could cost the typical U.S. homeowner more than $8,000 when it comes time to sell, says Amanda Pendleton, Zillow’s home trends expert. “That’s because when buyers are purchasing a home, they’re navigating a complex environment with a lot of uncertainty,” she explains. “We don’t buy homes every day, so we don’t have the experience or expertise to identify if a home has been lovingly cared for or if it has a mountain of problems lurking behind the walls. As a result, we use visual cues like color to fill in the blanks and decide if a home is up-to-date or well-maintained.”

Curious which paint colors are the worst for resale? We consulted Zillow’s research and also polled several real estate agents who dished on the paint colors that they've seen turn off buyers. (And if you’re thinking about listing your home, these are the paint colors that are proven to help you sell your home faster and for a higher dollar).

What Are the Worst Colors for Resale?

The most off-putting color for buyers is red, according to a “Paint and Color Trends Report” from Fixr. The home remodeling site polled 71 interior designers and home stagers, and 59 percent agreed that red turns away buyers. It’s a strong color and doesn’t align with everyone’s tastes.

Several real estate professionals we chatted with agreed that deep shades of red are a no-go when it comes to resale value. “[Red] can look very elegant in the right space with the right lighting and furniture, but for the most part, it’s a difficult shade to nail and makes most rooms feel smaller and dated,” Isoldi says.

Red walls can also come across as harsh and intense, says Marissa Castello, a realtor at Maison Real Estate in Charleston, South Carolina. “Red tends to put people on edge—physiologically, people see red and feel 'danger or stop’!” she says.

The second worst color for resale value is lime green, according to the Fixr study, with 53 percent of design professionals saying to steer clear of it if you’re planning to sell. Other colors that you should think twice about if you’re listing your home, according to the study, include mustard yellow, pink, and turquoise.

Here are some more colors to avoid if you’re looking to sell, broken down room by room.

Bright Yellow in the Kitchen

Bright yellow kitchens sank sale prices of homes by $2,125, according to Zillow’s data. While vibrant colors can add energy, shades like bright yellow can easily overpower a kitchen, says Carolyn Cerminara, founder and principal designer of Nashville, Tennessee-based Cerminara Design. “The kitchen should be a space for cooking and gathering, and buyers often feel these bold tones are just too intense,” she says.

Not that all white is necessarily the answer either. If your cabinets are white, avoid white walls in the kitchen because it will make the space look “builder grade,” says designer Kristina Phillips.

Mint Green in the Bedroom

For a while, darker, more sultry colors were trending in bedrooms, says Briana Gershenzon, partner and Chief of Design at Renovation Sells, a home renovation company. “Today, we’re seeing lighter and brighter palettes,” Gershenzon says. But steer clear of mint green, because, according to Zillow, buyers offer $1,123 less when they see this pastel paint color in bedrooms.

Dark Forest Green in the Bathroom

Zillow’s research found that homes with a forest green bathroom received offers $1,760 less than expected on a typical U.S. home. Bathroom paint colors are known to divide design experts, though. Many people opt to keep bathrooms light and bright, Phillips says, but having dark walls against a white vanity and veined marble flooring can look quite sophisticated. “This trick especially works in dated bathrooms,” Phillips says. “Include the ceiling as well if the space is small—this results in a loftier feel.”

Bright Yellow in the Living Room

Offers are $3,032 lower for a home with a bright yellow living room, according to Zillow. Yellow isn’t a cozy color; most people read it as highly stimulating, says designer Evette Rios. Typically, she says, bright yellow should be reserved for spaces where you want energy, not where you want to sit, relax, and watch TV or movies.

White or Neons on the Front Door

One place that designers and real estate professionals love to see a splash of color is on the front door. White front doors seem to blend in too much and come across as boring, says Kristi Weaver, a designer and project manager at Freemodel, a pre-sale home renovation company. Plus, they’re hard to keep clean, and if they look dingy, they can hurt your curb appeal.

Phillips says she likes a pop, like a red or peacock blue, depending on the color of the home. “No matter what your house color is, though, I would avoid anything neon for a front door color,” she says. If you need some inspiration, here are 50 of the prettiest colors you can paint your front door.