When you're working with a listing, what color, if any, do you suggest your clients paint their walls?

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Rainmaker
4,321,670

Praful Thakkar

LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA

Metro Boston Homes For Sale

Kathy Streib I usually suggest 'neutral' color - if painting is really needed!

However, I do offer them that they consult with a stager before anything else.

Apr 09, 2015 03:39 PM

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Praful Thakkar

Burlington, MA

Rainmaker
4,800,282

Gabe Sanders

Real Estate of Florida specializing in Martin County Residential Homes, Condos and Land Sales - Stuart, FL

Stuart Florida Real Estate

I don't suggest any color, Kathy. I suggest that they call you!

Apr 09, 2015 07:24 AM

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Lise Howe

Washington, DC

Rainmaker
5,584,078

Barbara Todaro

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Happily Retired - Franklin, MA

Previously Affiliated with The Todaro Team

I suggest they work with a stager so the choice is NOT mine.... not my department!! we do marketing, not staging....

Apr 09, 2015 06:56 AM

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Lise Howe

Washington, DC

Ambassador
6,053,802

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Sharon- neutrals can take on many colors.. not just a stark white!

Ron and Alexandra- you're right in that neutrals can also mean color, as you mentioned a sea green.

Thanks to everyone for answering. Going with white, as the builders do, is usually the absolute last thing you want to do. It gives the rooms a cold look without any character or warmth. I've even had a seller leave her walls a very soft green since for her rooms, it was very neutral.

The good thing about going with a warm neutral and the white trim is that should the furniture be removed and the house left vacant, the soft neutral color does not leave the buyer cold.

Apr 10, 2015 05:28 AM

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Rainmaker
1,139,819

Russ Ravary ~ Metro Detroit Realtor call (248) 310-6239

Real Estate One - Commerce, MI

Michigan homes for sale ~ yesmyrealtor@gmail.com

Light beige or yellow is hot in our area. Though some people do light grey

Apr 09, 2015 08:20 PM

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Rainmaker
2,421,046

Lise Howe

Keller Williams Capital Properties - Washington, DC

Assoc. Broker in DC, MD, VA and attorney in DC

Grey! Seems to be the popular color in dc

Apr 09, 2015 10:24 AM

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Rainmaker
444,220

Dianne Goode

Raleigh Cary Realty - Raleigh, NC

Realtor/Broker

My stager has been suggesting Sherman Williams' Kilim Beige. It looks really good.

Apr 09, 2015 10:19 AM

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Rainmaker
175,614

Spirit Messingham

Tierra Antigua Realty - Tucson, AZ

Third Generation Full-Time Realtor® 520 471-6900

If they paint them at all, neutral. I tell buyers all the time when showing houses, paint is just about the easiest and least expensive thing they can change about a property. I have found very LOUD! colors can turn some buyers off, but not all. Not a fan of all white either, feels like a hospital not a home.

Apr 09, 2015 07:56 AM

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Rainmaker
928,178

Jeff Pearl

Samson Properties / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA

Full Service Full Time Realtor

I don't suggest painting anything unless it's just filthy or some awful color that no one could possibly like.

Apr 09, 2015 07:24 AM

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Rainmaker
443,220

Cindy Davis

SD Home Source Realty - San Diego, CA

White, Beige, off white, Egg Shell, light coffee color, light gray...anything that appears soft and neutral.

Apr 09, 2015 06:50 AM

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Rainmaker
2,099,420

Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional

Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL

Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

Neutral! Egg shell or LIGHT beige colors are the best in my opinion.

Apr 09, 2015 06:40 AM

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Rainmaker
3,986,423

William Feela

WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN

Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Usuall off white if anything

Apr 09, 2015 06:25 AM

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Rainmaker
5,773,924

Ron and Alexandra Seigel

Napa Consultants - Carpinteria, CA

Luxury Real Estate Branding, Marketing & Strategy

Kathy,

When we were selling commercial buildings, painting the outside bright white worked really wel. It became noticed again. We a dusty pink building for sale, and the moment it was white, it caught someone's eye, and they bought it. They had not noticed it before.

In a home, I would not recommend that, but I would take in the light factor, how much light is coming into the room at different times of the day. This prevents one from going too dark or too light...I like ecrus, soft grays, sea greens as neutrals. When we lived in Napa the color of the light was butterscotch, and here in SB our light has a pinkish hue like it does in Italy! Once you determined that, the colors are easy...boy that was a longwinded explanation...LOL A

Apr 09, 2015 06:09 AM

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Rainer
216,960

Sharon Altier

Coldwell Banker Realty - Elmhurst, IL

Luxury Property Specialist, CSC, SFR

Neutral. The color will truly depend upon the amount of light that gets into the home. If almost too much light, you want a slightly darker color. When dark, you may want a Navajo white that brights it up w/o being stark. So many choices, but sticking with the basic neutrals.

Apr 09, 2015 06:04 AM

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Kathy Streib I usually suggest 'neutral' color - if painting is really needed!

However, I do offer them that they consult with a stager before anything else.
I don't suggest any color, Kathy. I suggest that they call you!
I suggest they work with a stager so the choice is NOT mine.... not my department!! we do marketing, not staging....
Sharon- neutrals can take on many colors.. not just a stark white!

Ron and Alexandra- you're right in that neutrals can also mean color, as you mentioned a sea green.

Thanks to everyone for answering. Going with white, as the builders do, is usually the absolute last thing you want to do. It gives the rooms a cold look without any character or warmth. I've even had a seller leave her walls a very soft green since for her rooms, it was very neutral.

The good thing about going with a warm neutral and the white trim is that should the furniture be removed and the house left vacant, the soft neutral color does not leave the buyer cold.
Light beige or yellow is hot in our area. Though some people do light grey
My stager has been suggesting Sherman Williams' Kilim Beige. It looks really good.
If they paint them at all, neutral. I tell buyers all the time when showing houses, paint is just about the easiest and least expensive thing they can change about a property. I have found very LOUD! colors can turn some buyers off, but not all. Not a fan of all white either, feels like a hospital not a home.
I don't suggest painting anything unless it's just filthy or some awful color that no one could possibly like.
White, Beige, off white, Egg Shell, light coffee color, light gray...anything that appears soft and neutral.
Neutral! Egg shell or LIGHT beige colors are the best in my opinion.
Kathy,

When we were selling commercial buildings, painting the outside bright white worked really wel. It became noticed again. We a dusty pink building for sale, and the moment it was white, it caught someone's eye, and they bought it. They had not noticed it before.

In a home, I would not recommend that, but I would take in the light factor, how much light is coming into the room at different times of the day. This prevents one from going too dark or too light...I like ecrus, soft grays, sea greens as neutrals. When we lived in Napa the color of the light was butterscotch, and here in SB our light has a pinkish hue like it does in Italy! Once you determined that, the colors are easy...boy that was a longwinded explanation...LOL A
Neutral. The color will truly depend upon the amount of light that gets into the home. If almost too much light, you want a slightly darker color. When dark, you may want a Navajo white that brights it up w/o being stark. So many choices, but sticking with the basic neutrals.