13 Exterior House Colors That Buyers Want
By: Tessa
Maybe you’re getting ready to bid your home farewell or perhaps you’re flipping a home for resale. In both these situations, you’ve must make choices with buyers in mind. A home’s exterior color is super important to those in the market for a home because although they can change, it’s a hassle upon moving into a new place. So, no pressure, right? Luckily, we’re here to help. May seems to be the optimum time to put your house on the market, so if you’re looking to paint, we have the answers.
Here are 13 exterior house colors that buyers want, all approved by professional exterior designers.
Maybe you’ve landed on an exterior paint color, but now what? At brick&batten, we offer custom virtual home exterior design services. We’ll learn a little about you and your project goals and help you envision our plans with a realistic rendering. You’ll also receive a detailed shopping list to put your plan to action.
Just a quick note before we get started. In this article, we will mainly be discussing colors by Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. These brands are fairly available anywhere in America and they produce some of the highest quality exterior paint. As you know, we also LOVE LOVE Romabio for painting masonry. Romabio will tint their paint in any color you choose! So, if you’re painting masonry, Romabio is a tried and true brand we highly recommend. Trust us, don’t cut edges when it comes to exterior paint! Your buyers will thank you.
13 Exterior House Colors That Buyers Want
#1 Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore
We’ll start with one of our personal favs that buyers flock to. Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore is one of the softest, creamiest whites. Honestly, picking a white paint can be pretty intimidating, because the last thing you want is for buyers to glance upon a stark, blinding white. Swiss Coffee is so universally pleasing because it looks inviting even during the hours of the day with harsh sunlight. Pair this white with brown or black or natural stone or wood. It is so versatile!
#2 Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams
A soft, pale gray is a fun twist on a traditional white. For clients who are preparing their home for sale, we often recommend Repose Gray by Sherwin Williams. This gray still has warm undertones (which are super popular amongst buyers right now), but on cloudy or snowy days, it almost looks a little cool. If color theory tells us that warm colors bring joy and cool colors relax us, then this color can do both!
#3 White Dove by Benjamin Moore
Yes, we ARE indeed adding another type of white paint to this list of exterior house colors that buyers want. White Dove by Benjamin Moore is such a crowd-pleaser. With an LRV of 85.38, it is a true warm white. As all paint colors, White Dove will appear differently on different textures, such as brick, stucco, and siding. We suggest testing a large swatch on the surface being painted. Hey, if Studio McGee does it, we know it’s a color of choice!
#4 Bracken Slate by Benjamin Moore
If there is one color that matches white paint in buyer popularity, it is certainly dark gray. Bracken Slate by Benjamin Moore contains both black and white pigments, so of course, it looks great with white trim and black porch accessories. It also has a blue-green undertone, so it can make your home stand out a bit while still appealing to most buyers. Keep in mind, Bracken Slate will appear darker during different times of day. Be sure to test in your environment!
#5 Accessible Beige by Sherwin Williams
Earthy paint colors are back! Buyers still can’t get enough of off-white with beige undertones. These days, buyers want a beige that can almost pass for white at a glance. When choosing this color for our clients, we suggest Accessible Beige by Sherwin Williams. We love how this color can really show off the texture and add depth to a brick home.
#6 Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore
Benjamin Moore describes Kendall Charcoal as “rich, deep, and luxurious.” When it comes to adjectives, those are certainly unanimous favorites. So, it should come as no surprise that it’s one of the exterior house colors that buyers want right now. This dark gray almost reads as an earth tone, making it a great companion for natural elements like wood and stone.
#7 Urbane Bronze by Sherwin Williams
Urbane Bronze is super on-trend at the moment, but it is still a timeless classic. To some viewers, this paint color reads as brown, while others see it as a gray. However, both would be right. Impress aspiring homeowners by adding wood and stone elements.
#8 Black Magic by Sherwin Williams
Black is on trend again this year! Don’t be afraid to try a little Black Magic to attract a new home buyer. It’s deep, rich, and looks gorgeous with brass and wood accents. If you’re wanting to go a little softer try Graphite by Benjamin Moore…. also a crowd pleaser.
#9 Seapearl by Benjamin Moore
If you’ve read any of our painting blogs, you are well aware that our brick&batten design team really favors Seapearl by Benjamin Moore. It’s the color time and time again that never fails.
#10 Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore
Just like you, buyers often want a home with some personality. Painting your home’s exterior a navy blue is a great way to follow ‘the rules’ while still being unique. Because Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore has slightly more black pigments than blue pigments, it passes as a neutral rather than a royal blue. Above, we show an example of one of our favorite exterior color schemes that lets navy take center stage.
We always recommend sampling and testing paint colors before committing. Factors such as natural lighting, undertones, and your property’s fixed elements will have a significant impact on how a color will appear on your exterior. Our friends at Samplize offer extra-large 9 x 14.75 inch peel-and-stick paint samples of the colors we love for exteriors. Order your ‘Real Paint, No Mess’ samples from Samplize here.
#11 Gray Huskie by Benjamin Moore
Gray Huskie is a mild gray with a very, very, very slight blue undertone. Even with a hint of blue, Gray Huskie is considered warm and works well with stone and black or white accents. It also doesn’t change drastically in direct sunlight. That makes it a strong contender for an exterior color buyers may be looking for as they drive by at different times of day.
#12 Cape May Cobblestone by Benjamin Moore
Cape May Cobblestone is like the little black dress of Benjamin Moore paints. We know it’s not a black paint, but it fits the analogy because it looks good on so many different home types (point illustrated in the photos above). There’s no arguing that this paint is a true neutral, but it does have slight warm undertones that really come out to play in full sun.
#13 Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore
And to close this list of 13 exterior house colors that buyers want, we’ll leave you with Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore. We call this color the ultimate neutral because it is a mixture of black, brown, and gray. This means it will appeal to nearly any future homeowner, and they can tailor it to fit their preferences by adding different color accessories, like a new door or shutters.
Let’s face it–Paint color is just one part of the entire curb appeal picture. Hire brick&batten for your exterior design needs, and we will help your home live out its full potential and impress potential buyers. Get started today!
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