Siding

The Best Siding Colors & Types for Boosting Home Resale Value

color siding lg

Does new exterior paint or siding increase home value? When performing a buyer’s home inspection, home inspectors look at the exterior paint and siding conditions. A fresh coat of exterior paint or new siding is crucial if you’re looking to improve your home’s resale value.

Having a beautiful exterior is always a nice thing to have. Many homeowners even opt to renovate their houses right before they sell them. 

In doing so, the property value goes up much more. However, does new siding increase your home’s value?

New siding does increase the home resale value. The exact value of your return on investment depends on several factors like your neighborhood, architectural style, and overall curb appeal. On average, the new siding installation has a 75-90 percent ROI or return on investment.

Renovating the entire property will maximize resale value, including the type and color of your siding. Even if you don’t intend to sell the property right away, you may in the future, so try picking a siding color that promotes resale value.

New siding has a significant impact on the property’s marketability. Houses with ugly siding can sit on the market all the time.

Most first-time homebuyers are looking for a move-in-ready home. They are skittish to spend time and money renovating a home to avoid purchasing fixer-uppers.

The color of your house’s siding will impact how interested buyers are in purchasing it. Because the more bidders you have, the greater the resale value will be. Your home’s siding color is almost always one of the first things potential purchasers notice.

The exterior siding can significantly influence whether or not your home sells. Real estate is a competitive market, and the best house on the block will almost always set the benchmark for home values in a neighborhood.

house siding lg

How New Siding and Paint Colors Affect Home Values

Maximizing home value is the top priority when selling a home. Many factors go into a home’s market value. Home market values are subject to numerous factors like the local market conditions, square footage, curb appeal, and others are all critical. Most things affecting home value are out of your control.

You do have control over choosing your home’s exterior siding or paint color, and it has a significant impact on the home value. Potential buyers often decide if they like a house or not within the first 15 seconds of seeing it. First impressions are so important.

Your exterior house color scheme plays a big part in determining its curb appeal and resale value. With a great siding color scheme and maximum curb appeal, you can list your home at a higher asking price than the competition and sell at the top of the market.

When selecting new siding color, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. When making siding selections, you must consider a variety of factors.

What Color and Style Fits Your Neighborhood

When determining the most pleasing color siding for resale value, you must consider your neighborhood’s real estate market and demographics. All real estate markets are particular to a specific area. When comparing the same house types, prices, dimensions, and colors vary considerably.

What color schemes are consistent with homes in your neighborhood? You don’t want to choose a color that’ll cause you to get lost in the shuffle, but you also don’t want a color that will cause your house to be an eyesore.

Pastel color houses are the norm on Rainbow Row in Charleston, SC. However, they are frowned upon in many Dallas, TX neighborhoods. Many homeowner associations have guidelines for homeowners to follow and can veto exterior siding styles and color choices that adversely affect other home values.

Your Home’s Architecture Style Matters

When it comes to exterior color combinations, keep in mind the architectural style of your house, especially if it’s a distinctive, well-known design like a Colonial or Victorian. These homes come with certain preconceptions. A Colonial home, for example, is generally sided white or some other light-neutral color. However, potential buyers want something more colorful if you have a Victorian property.

As a homeowner, you can choose whatever color you want. However, taking these general factors into account will give you your best shot at maximizing your resale value.

Avoid Odd Color Choices

The last thing you need is to be the neighborhood eyesore, with odd exterior color choices. It’s vital to stand out in a competitive real estate market, but not for the wrong reasons. Pick a stunning siding color that everyone adores rather than turning away potential purchasers with poor color selections.

gray house 2 lg

Does New Siding Increase Home Value?

When searching for a home, you will first look at the house’s exterior. 

Suppose you were house shopping, and you found a rugged old home that did not seem like the exterior siding was in good shape. 

In that case, you would be completely turned off by the investment, regardless of whether the interior’s home looked beautiful on the inside. 

Given that information, having new siding affects the home’s value significantly. 

Delivering good siding protects the house from the elements outdoors, allows it to stand out in front of others, and controls energy costs. 

Is New Siding a Good Investment?

New siding is an excellent investment, especially if you are looking at moving in the next couple of years. 

Not only does it increase the home’s value, but it is one less concern for buyers to have. 

The home in itself stands out over other houses, making it an excellent viewing pleasure for those passing by. 

Not only that, but there are plenty of different sidings you can decide on, and the siding itself provides an excellent source of armor for your home. 

The sturdiness helps keep the natural elements from the outside (snow, sleet, rain, dust, etc.)

Lastly, the new siding materials have a 75-90 percent ROI or return on investment.

Once installed, replacing the siding has very little maintenance and can last for roughly 25 years. 

Common Siding Types to Increase Home Value

Let’s look at three common new siding types that can add value to your home.

vinyl siding colors lg

Vinyl Siding is Affordable and Can Increase Value of Your Home

Vinyl siding is one of the most affordable options for replacing the exterior in itself. So that brings us to the question of whether it is worth the investment or will reduce the home’s value. 

On the contrary, vinyl siding can increase the value of your home. It comes with many benefits, including:

  • Providing good durability for the exterior of the house
  • Adding an excellent curb appeal to potential buyers
  • You will not have to do much maintenance on it
  • Vinyl siding comes in a variety of colors and doesn’t need routine painting
  • It is very energy-efficient
  • Vinyl siding is an affordable option

In most cases, a house will only need new vinyl siding if you are looking to sell the home and want to make it more visually appealing or if the exterior of your home has suffered extensive damage for one reason or another.

Assuming nothing happens, that would cause damage to the siding itself, expect your vinyl siding to last you for roughly 20 years or longer if your siding is currently under warranty. 

Routine maintenance will allow you to keep your siding around for as long as possible, so carefully examine the siding every few months to avoid a problem that could crop into a more significant issue given time.

fiber cement siding lg

Cement Fiberboard Siding Increases Home Resale Value

Cement fiberboard siding is popular because it doesn’t rot and mimics the appearance of wood siding. It comes primed and ready to paint. It is a popular siding choice because it:

  • More durable than vinyl siding
  • Doesn’t rot like wood siding
  • Doesn’t dent like aluminum siding
  • With the exception of exterior painting, it’s generally maintenance free

Cement fiberboard siding works well with stone or brick veneer. Depending on the local climate, it needs painting about every 8 to 12 years. You can keep cement fiberboard siding clean with an annual pressure washing.

cedar wood siding lg

Cedar Wood Siding Increases Home Value in the Right Areas

Natural cedar wood siding that has been well taken care of can undoubtedly increase your home’s value and curb appeal by association. It’s a beautiful high-quality siding, but only on the right house.

It is especially true if it fits the aesthetic of the neighborhood or compliments the other trimmings of your home.

Cedar siding is commonplace in coastal areas yet is not the norm in large cities. On the other hand, Cedar siding will never be a popular color choice in most places because of exceptionally high maintenance.

Cedar wood siding is a natural material that looks best with stone and brick.

Choose Neutral Siding Colors for Maximum Resale Values

neutral siding house lg

Neutral tones are ideal for resale value since they appeal to many potential buyers. Of course, consider all of what we’ve discussed up to now since this is a broad statement. However, overall these hues are your best choice. Even if you reside in a community with extremely bright, vibrant colors, a mild neutral will work well.

When it comes to determining the finest color siding for resale, it’s also crucial to choose a hue that appeals to as many potential buyers as possible. You can’t please everyone. However, picking a color that most people won’t despise is much easier.

Your siding is the home’s biggest canvas, and the siding color should attract many buyers. Some buyers will like them, and some won’t.

Bright, vivid, and aggressive siding hues have a far greater potential to turn people off. Vibrant colors are better as accent colors for shutters, trim, or front doors.

Best Exterior Siding Colors for Home Resale Value?

Although the specific material used adds great home value, you might want to consider the exterior paint colors you use if you choose to repaint or redo the siding in itself. 

If you want to get the most money for your house when it goes on the market, a light tan or wheat siding is an excellent option. Light neutrals are a good choice since the colors go well with white trim and other darker tones. These more delicate tints fade back slightly, allowing all those details to stand out even more.

Having a good variety of colors attracts prospective buyers to check out your home. Here are some of the best exterior house colors:

white house lg

White Siding Color

If you think about resale values, white is an excellent siding color. You can’t go wrong with white. It’s a very basic hue that’s so neutral that it goes with everything you put it. The key to white siding is the surrounding colors.

White requires other elements to draw attention to it. White trim looks terrific with white siding. Black accent shutters and trim also look timeless.

Light Gray Siding Colors

Many modern homes come in gray for their exterior. This array of colors will work in any geographical location and does not go out of style no matter what era you are in. 

Light gray comes with a wide array of hues with brown, blue, or green hints.

Plus, grey and white colors will help your home sell faster than those with a vibrant look to it. Gray looks excellent with white; therefore, it almost always works for trim work, columns, and railings.

off white brick house lg

Light Tans, Cream, Beige, or Taupe Siding Colors

Like light gray, light tans are a perfect way to go. These colors look great with the same trim and accent colors. They can also be used with other shades of darker browns, including chocolate or terra cotta if you want a darker hue.

Neutral colors like light tan and creamy colorants are excellent for your siding choices. Many homes only had these colors available back in the day, leading to widespread usage. 

Although potential buyers want something different from time to time, many will still opt to purchase a home with these colors. A huge reason for this is that the house matches the rest of the neighborhoods surrounding them. 

The only downside of these colors is that they can look dirty if not kept clean. Dirt does show up on them; therefore, it’s essential to keep your house washed a few times per year to maintain its beauty.

gray house lg

Medium Gray Siding Colors

Gray has is a popular choice for an exterior paint job. However, the mid-toned gray will almost certainly improve resale value. Gray is a versatile color that fits in with nearly every design or size of the house, and it looks great with a wide range of accent colors.

A gray siding looks great with a natural stained wood door or pops of color like a bright yellow or red front door. Gray is a highly versatile hue that is frequently regarded as the most secure choice for siding color options for resale.

Medium-Toned Brown Siding Colors

Medium-toned browns, in general, are a desirable siding color for resale value. It has a warm, welcoming feel to your house that few people dislike. Some will adore it, and others will like it. But not too many would despise it. Medium brown siding is sure to improve the curb appeal and resale value.

Neutral Green Siding Colors

A neutral green siding color has subtle tones of brown or gray that soften the hue. Green alone is too strong or brilliant, which may not be received well. A green with gray or brown shades work well with natural stone veneer or light brown or white trim colors.

Choosing a vibrate color or black door is the major attention grabber.

blue house lg

If you want to get the most benefit from your home at resale, consider navy blue instead of white. It looks fantastic with white trim, natural stone, and red brick.

Blue also looks good in earth tones. A stained wood door and hardwood decking are fantastic touches paired with oil-rubbed bronze hardware. With a color scheme like this, you’ll impress potential buyers.

Almost any color of blue will do, but we’d go with a medium tone. Dark colors are fine most of the time, although they can be too dark. In addition, a blue that is on the grayish side would be ideal. Gray looks great with just about everything, so don’t make it too bright or intense.

In the last several years, all blue siding has grown in popularity, whether light or dark. Although it is a bolder color compared to neutral ones, it gives buyers that sense of peace and comfort looking at these homes. 

All shades of blue have grown tremendously in popularity over the last several years. 

Blue may be a bold color when compared to neutral shades, but it also has soothing connotations, evoking a feeling of serenity and peace with viewers.

However, if you choose a blue exterior color, make sure to select one that is more neutral, as specific colors might go out of style after a few years. 

Darker Brown Siding Colors

Pick a great siding color if you want to test the real estate market’s ceiling. Consider selecting a dark brown color like coffee or chocolate.

Don’t go too dark with a brown finish without light color contrast in the door and trim. Darker brown colors blend well with stone veneers. The natural colors compliment each other well, as stone veneer often has some darker brown tones in the stone.

Siding Colors to Avoid for Increased Resale Value

Now that we’ve discussed some of our favorite siding colors for resale value let’s go through some of the ones you should avoid. These will undoubtedly appear self-evident, but you may be shocked at how many individuals opt for them, driving away potential consumers and lowering resale value.

Here are a few shades to avoid when picking a color for your home’s exterior:

  • Pastel Colors: Pastel colors are very regional. In some coastal areas, pastels are expected. Pastel exterior colors are not popular with buyers outside these areas.
  • Bright Colors: In most cases, you should avoid any bright color like green, yellow, orange, blue, purple, pink etc. Bright colors may be attractive to some, but not most buyers. Again, these colors are very location specific. Some neutral tones of these colors may work well in your neighborhood.
  • Black: Although black siding is not for every potential buyer, it could attract many others who love the idea of having a darker color for their exterior. It can work well if paired with natural wood tones in trim and doors. However, black exterior colors are not attractive to the masses and if resale value is your goal, keep black as an accent color.
  • Red: Although red is a unique choice for your siding, selecting a rich color might be worth noting, depending on where you live. Having a red color draws in multiple opinions, both good and bad. Some people love it while other buyers might not like it so much. However, please do not allow this to turn you off from the color itself, as you should use more neutral red colors instead.

Always keep in mind to pick a color appropriate for the neighborhood, your home’s design, and something that most people would enjoy when picking siding colors for resale. When it comes to selling your property, you must attract potential buyers to it.

Conclusion

If you’re considering siding your house before putting it on the market or want to do it yourself, one of the siding colors from our list is a good option. Siding is a must-have component of any home, and the color is crucial if you want to get the most bang for your buck when selling.

Author

Hubert Miles | Licensed Home Inspector, CMI, CPI

Hubert Miles is a licensed home inspector (RBI# 2556) with more than two decades of experience in inspection and construction. Since 2008, he has been serving South Carolina through his company, Patriot Home Inspections LLC. As a Certified Master Inspector, Hubert is dedicated to providing his expertise in home inspections, repairs, maintenance, and DIY projects.