The Paint Colors HGTV's Mike Holmes Recommends If You're Planning To Sell

With over three decades of experience in home renovations, HGTV's Mike Holmes has collected some invaluable insights on what attracts buyers. For homeowners who plan to eventually sell their homes, a renovation can be the key to a successful sale — if done correctly. Whether you're renovating your home to get a better resale value or just making some upgrades to keep it looking fresh for buyers, the paint colors you choose for your space can have a major impact. Before diving into a home update with your favorite paint shades, consider Mike Holmes' advice for potential home sellers — opt for neutral paint colors.

There are plenty of ways that paint color can affect your home's resale value, and sticking to neutral living spaces is one of the safest bets you can make. Although bold paint colors are trendy in 2025, there's no guarantee that every buyer will see their appeal. If you don't want to risk a future sale, using neutral paint colors will give potential buyers more freedom to see their own vision for the home without being distracted by bold designs. With the right shade, you can paint your interiors to boost value and appeal to buyers across the board.

Holmes shared all of his top tips for painting your home via his blog, highlighting the value of choosing neutral paint. He notes, "If you're a motivated seller, choosing neutral colors may be the best option because it allows any potential buyer to imagine just about any possible use for the room." Consider it like an artist preferring a blank canvas. A canvas already filled with bold colors and designs complicates the artist's vision and requires extra effort to modify. Similarly, homebuyers generally favor a neutral backdrop that enables them to tailor the space to their personal tastes, rather than adapting to someone else's style. Taste-specific designs, like vibrant paint colors and accent walls, are features that could wreck your home's value — whereas neutral shades can boost it.

In his blog, Holmes reemphasizes the benefits of neutral paint colors, saying, "light colors tend to make rooms appear larger." It's another way neutral shades will give your home more potential in the eyes of future buyers — allowing your space to feel more open, rather than cramped and limiting. You may be tempted to express yourself with bold paint choices, but going for neutral colors can have a better payoff when it's time to put your home on the market.

There are plenty of painting tips that HGTV's Mike Holmes swears by, but opting for neutral colors may be one of the most crucial for future sellers. A neutral is defined as any muted shade that is low in saturation, covering a range from deep browns to crisp whites and soft greens. While some darker shades may technically fall under the neutral category, they're best avoided if you're aiming to increase your home's resale value. A good rule of thumb is to stick to lighter neutrals like white, gray, beige, and taupe. As Mike Holmes noted, these lighter colors visually expand your space and make it appear bigger and brighter.

Although recent trends show a growing buyer interest in dark neutrals like deep charcoal and gray, these shades can overwhelm the desired blank slate look that makes other neutrals so appealing. Many experts believe that dark colors tend to only work well in large spaces, so unless you have an excess of square footage, it's wiser to opt for light neutrals. When choosing paint, select neutral tones that complement your home's existing decor. Test different swatches in your space to see how they interact with the light and furnishings, aiming for a tone that achieves a balanced and inviting feel. When preparing to sell your home, a light and balanced neutral paint color can help potential buyers see and appreciate your home's value as much as you do.