When summer rolls around in Portland, every homeowner turns their focus outside to landscaping, curb appeal, and general touch ups to their home exteriors. Not only is it an excuse for Portlanders to get outside and enjoy the sunshine, but exterior maintenance and curb appeal is huge for any homeowner, whether you are looking to sell or simply want to maintain your home’s value. Back in 2019, a survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors found that 66% of real estate professionals (us included) agreed that exterior paint is the most essential piece to a home’s curb appeal. 

As always, we have you covered! Whether you are looking to sell or are just in need of a fresh coat, we’ve done the heavy lifting and will give you a quick guide on what paint colors will fit your style while adding value to your home. 

Without further ado…let’s talk about color choices! 

First of all, does the color of your home actually make a difference? Well according to Reader’s Digest (and in our expert opinion), it absolutely does! Here are the basic do’s and don’ts when narrowing down a paint color.

Choose a bright color for your home. 

Hear me out!  While bright colors might be fun and expressive, when it comes to adding value to your home, bright colors are more of an individual choice. Just like staging your home in preparation to sell, you want your home to be eye-catching while also appealing to a wide scope of buyers.

If you fall in love with a vibrant color, or you want an extra eye-catching home, keep reading! We’ll dive into ways to individualize your home that are creative, fun, and market conscious. 

Paint your front door black. Yep, we said black. Homes with a black front door sold for an average of $6,271 over their listing price and 2.9% more than houses with non-black doors. Painting a front door is one of the least expensive home prep projects that will also have a dramatic impact on closing price!

Choose a shade of yellow. Even though yellow can be a cheery color, it was found that yellow homes typically sold for almost $3,500 less than anticipated. If you love your sunshine-yellow home, add accents of cool gray for visual balance. Consider painting the trim, front door, window frames, or porch trim.

Take into consideration the architecture of your home and its location. Depending on what neighborhood or city you live in, there are color trends that tend to suit your area. Not only that, but the style of your home matters! Is your home a Victorian? Or maybe a bungalow style? Each architectural style has a color palette that tends to be considered more traditional and appealing. 

There’s no denying, no matter how cliche it sounds, that you can’t ignore the trends. Especially in real estate! When representing sellers it’s crucial for us to fully understand:

 

However, with that in mind, you aren’t limited to a handful of consumer curated paint colors! We’ve laid out for you the top color schemes to fit your unique style. Stay true to yourself and, if you are in the market to sell, attract excited buyers. A win-win!

If you are looking for a color that will never go out of style, whites and neutrals are for you! A white home is perfect for home sellers, it allows the potential buyers to visualize your exterior as a ‘blank slate’ where they can add their own personal touches and it presents as clean and sleek. However, if you are worried about the upkeep of a white exterior, neutrals are a great alternative. Neutrals like beige or taupe still appeal to home buyers and most outdoor furniture will coordinate!

While it’s no secret that white and neutral colors are always a safe choice, dark exteriors are changing the way we think about ‘traditional’ color schemes. In 2022, homes with dark exteriors are bringing a richness that enhances their style and character. Dark exteriors coupled with various shades of natural wood, brick, or stone and accented with a lighter trim, make for an eye-pleasing contrast. 

Looking for a hint of color without it feeling overwhelming? Lighter shades of green with a hint of gray are the perfect choice to spice things up without being too bold. Green can add a soft and elegant touch to your home’s exterior and couples well with white accents. 

All of our local PNW residents know that Portland is a vibrant and funky city with some unique homes…and that includes paint choices. With that in mind, we are a city known for our forests, coffee addictions, and moody gray skies and our home exterior paints often reflect this atmosphere. Amongst the deep tones of gray, charcoal, and warm white, one of the newer trends has been a sophisticated rich blue and navy. 

Close your paint tins and put down your brushes — that’s a wrap! 

Are you preparing to sell or are you ready to plan your next real estate adventure? Reach out here. Remember, the old adage, "You can't judge a book by its cover" is passé today. This is a fast-paced, image-oriented society in which we live. First impressions really do count! So rely on us to guide you through a successful sale.