Exteriors play a massive role in a home’s curb appeal and resale value. It’s a fact that experienced realtors are acutely aware of and use every day to make properties more appealing and hence fetch a good price.
Light neutral colors are a universal favorite as they make your house look modern and livable. It can be a light shade of grey which happens to be the most popular in most places, or light shades of brown, beige, or even green. You can go for a vibrant color such as red or blue if you live in a neighborhood with that theme.
Here is a list of colors that you should try and avoid as far as house siding come unless you don’t plan to resale the house at some point:
Black- Black is a strange color to have as a predominant color on your house exterior. It also absorbs a lot of heat from surroundings and therefore overworking your AC in summer.
Dark brown- Dark brown is just a dull and old-fashioned color that you would normally use on a shed or garage but not on the main house. It even looks worse when it starts to fade after a few years.
Bright Red, Pink, Green, Purple, Mustard, Yellow, etc.- Bright colors (loosely referred to as loud colors) should be avoided unless it’s the predominant theme in your neighborhood. Most of these colors will make your house seem quirky or eccentric to a big percentage of buyers and certainly drive your resale value down.
Bright or loud colors that make your house seem out of place or too eccentric in a neighborhood can affect the resale value of your house. For instance, you wouldn’t want to be the only one with a bright red house when the rest of the houses in the neighborhood have cool light neutrals and greys. You may want to steer clear of bright blue siding, mustard, bright yellow, and even plain white.
How Siding Affects Resale Value
The type and color of the siding you install affect the resale value of your house in many ways. Here are some of them:
Curb Appeal
Curb appeal refers to the beauty or attractiveness of your home’s exterior when looked at from the street. It’s what will attract or discourage potential buyers from having a second look at your house if you put it on sale.
Given that siding takes a big percentage of your house’s exterior surface area, it is the deciding factor as far as curb appeal is concerned. Choosing the wrong color or type of siding will have a dramatic effect on the curb appeal and make your house harder to sell. This will in turn drive its resale value down unless you do a major facelift and install new siding.
Complimenting the Design/ Architecture of Your House
Some architectural styles demand that you use a certain type of siding and color. For instance, you could go for light brown or gray stucco if you are building a classic bungalow with Spanish elements in its architecture. Contemporary homes look good with light gray metallic or vinyl siding that complements modern architecture. Cape cod homes can look good with any type of wooden siding in light green, light shades of blue, or white.
Location Style and Predominant Theme
It wouldn’t be advisable to be the odd one out in a location by choosing a completely different type of siding and color. For instance, using stone siding in a location where most houses use locally sourced wood siding is not a good idea. This would make your house look out of place and would generally be harder to sell. In most cases, locals use a certain type of siding and colors because of the local culture, architectural traditions, and building norms.
Durability and Longevity
How long can the type and color of siding you install stay before it starts fading, cracking, or falling apart due to weather conditions? Faded or beaten up siding will drive your resale value down unless you replace it. Remember that installing new siding is an expensive undertaking that you should only do every few decades. Having to install or do major repairs on your siding before you sell a house would reduce your gains or increase losses if the market is against you.
Does Siding Increase Resale Value?
Siding has a significant effect on the resale value of your house. Good quality siding such as engineered wood, stucco or fiber cement will increase your home’s resale value as compared to cheaper or old-fashioned sidings such as clapboard style wood siding, vinyl, or brick.
The color you choose will also either increase or decrease the resale value of your home. Only choose an eccentric color if you don’t plan to sell your house at some point in the future otherwise it will be a tough sell. In most cases, you are safer with a color that is predominantly used in your location or one that does not make your house stand out in the wrong way in a neighborhood.
Most Popular Colors for Homes In 2021
New, bolder exterior colors are making an appearance in most places as we head towards 2021. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should go all out and get the brightest or boldest exterior paint job just to stand out. Here are popular colors for homes in 2021 that we think are not only trendy but also safe to use as far as resale value is concerned.
Neutral Colors
Neutral colors are certainly the most popular as main siding colors today. Mixed with splashes of bright or light colors, they make your house look modern and sophisticated.
Dark Blues
Different hues of dark blue are becoming popular in many places although they look best in the coastal areas. However, dark blue looks best if mixed with contrasting colors such as white on visible elements such as fascia boards, windows, and doors.
Charcoal Gray
It’s one of the most popular colors for contemporary homes in 2021 and beyond. Charcoal gray gives your house an air of sophistication and modern appearance if mixed well with other colors on the exterior.
Beige
Tan exteriors were only achievable when you used cement plaster as siding in the past. However, beige or tan is making a comeback and now available on all types of siding including wood, vinyl, and metal.
Beige can give your house an exterior and elegant and modern appearance if done right. It looks great if other exterior components such as the roof are in a darker color such as black or charcoal gray.
Should I Use Vinyl Siding?
Vinyl siding is, by far, the most popular type of siding today thanks to its cost and versatility. You can get good quality vinyl siding in any color, shade, or shape for as low as $2 per square foot. While it might have a shorter lifespan as compared to other materials such as stone, vinyl is a great choice for modern houses. Its main advantages include but are not limited to:
- Price- Vinyl siding is the most affordable type of siding today.
- Availability- You can purchase vinyl siding in any store wherever you are in the world. Being a synthetic material, vinyl is easy to manufacture and therefore more available than any other material.
- Versatility – Vinyl can be used for any project because of its versatility. You can buy vinyl siding that has been designed to look like wood, metal siding but costs much less.
Is Siding Worth the Investment Before Selling My Home?
Siding is a big investment but worth it if you are trying to sell your home. It will improve your home’s curb appeal, and make it look and feel newer and modern. If you can install new siding without making a net loss, then you should go for it.
