Does Yellow Paint Really Help Sell Your Home Faster?

You've probably heard the advice: slap some cheerful yellow paint on your home and watch the offers roll in. It sounds plausible enough—yellow is bright, inviting, optimistic. What buyer wouldn't want that sunny kitchen energy?

Except here's the problem: buyers hate yellow. And they're willing to put their money where their mouth is.

The Yellow Paint Penalty

Zillow's 2025 behavioral science study surveyed over 4,200 recent and prospective homebuyers, showing them identical homes painted in different colors. When buyers saw a daisy yellow kitchen, they offered $3,915 less than for the same kitchen in other colors. Yellow living rooms? Down $3,891. Even exterior yellow paint knocked $3,408 off the sale price.

That's not a rounding error. That's real money leaving your pocket because you thought sunshine vibes would seal the deal.

Why Yellow Fails So Hard

Real estate professionals point to a few culprits. Yellow picks up weird undertones depending on lighting and landscaping—what looked buttery on the paint chip reads as dingy or institutional in real life. Mustard yellow, in particular, triggers "dated" associations for 20% of home staging pros.

But the bigger issue is polarization. Bright yellow is too specific, too bold. It forces buyers to imagine living with your design choices instead of envisioning their own. A 2025 Fixr study found bright yellow exteriors resulted in 22% fewer showings. Fewer showings mean fewer offers. Fewer offers mean lower prices.

What Actually Works

If you want to boost your home's value with paint, go dark. Zillow's study found that:

• Dark olive green kitchens added $1,597 to sale prices
• Navy blue bedrooms brought in an extra $1,815
• Charcoal gray living rooms commanded $2,593 more
• Mid-tone brown bathrooms scored highest for buyer interest

This flips conventional wisdom on its head. For years, real estate agents preached "light and bright"—safe beiges, crisp whites, nothing offensive. But modern buyers aren't looking for blank canvases. They want character. They want spaces that feel designed, sophisticated, intentional.

Dark colors deliver that. They photograph well. They make rooms feel cozy rather than cold. And crucially, neutrals like charcoal and navy are bold enough to be interesting but versatile enough that buyers can work with them.

The Bottom Line

Yellow paint doesn't help homes sell faster or for more money. It does the exact opposite, costing sellers thousands in lost value and scaring off potential buyers before they even schedule a showing.

If you're prepping to sell, skip the sunshine and reach for something moodier. Your bank account will thank you.