2 min read- Zillow’s 2026 Paint Color Analysis found that homes with chocolate brown walls can attract offers nearly $2,300 higher.
- Other top-performing colors include sage green in bedrooms and charcoal gray or deep plum in kitchens.
- Sellers should avoid using ochre yellow in main living spaces, as Zillow’s data shows it can significantly reduce offers.
When you’re putting your home on the market, there are a thousand things to consider. There are listing fees to pay, landscaping to perfect, floors to be polished, and whether to bake cookies before the open house.
Repainting is nearly always high on the list of to-dos, and while white will always be a safe choice, you might want to consider a bolder shade before you start rolling. The real estate marketplace Zillow recently released its 2026 Paint Color Analysis, and according to its data, people now want character over cookie-cutter.
"White will always be a timeless, versatile choice, but sellers who default to all-white walls everywhere may be leaving money on the table," says Amanda Pendleton, Zillow's home trends expert. "Buyers today respond to homes with soul.”
There’s one shade that’s showing greater returns than all the rest: chocolate brown. Deep, rich, and luxurious, it may seem like an intimidating choice at first, but, according to the data, the ‘70s-inspired hue has been shown to tack nearly $2,300 onto buyer offers.
“The right colors can stop a shopper mid-scroll and instantly create an emotional connection, which ultimately drives higher offers. If a seller were to repaint the top-performing color in each room, they could add more than $5,000 to their bottom line,” adds Pendleton.
Chocolate brown may have come in first, but if you’re looking for another shade that’ll snag a potential buyer’s attention, Zillow’s data shows that sage green is another great choice—when used in the bedroom, sage brings in an extra $1,000.
Meanwhile, moody kitchen hues are reigning supreme in the 2026 market. Zillow’s analysis found homes with charcoal gray and deep plum kitchens tend to pull in the highest offers, garnering an additional $1,373 for the smoky shade and $867 for the juicy purple.
As far as paint colors to avoid if you’re planning to sell? It’s time to ditch the ochre yellow. Using this golden shade in the living room, bedroom, or bathroom can scrape $18,164 off an offer price. And in the kitchen, it can cost you around $6,630. So, if you opted into this ‘70s trend, you might want to grab a paintbrush ASAP.
