Paint colors can really make a difference when it comes to selling your home in Texas. Not only do they say that repainting can help with odors, but picking updated paint colors can also give your house a fresh new look. As local Texas cash home buyers, we’ve seen how the right paint colors can actually increase offers on your house. But we’ve also seen that the wrong color choices can leave properties sitting on the real estate market for months. It’s important to keep up with the times, and in 2026, the paint game has completely changed. Today’s prospective buyers want warmth and character; gone are the days of stark white and cool grays.
If you’re trying to figure out what home improvements to do before selling, you’ll definitely want to consider adding painting to the list. It can be a bit of an investment, so we’ll cover exactly which colors are helping drive up sales prices in Texas for 2026. We’ll also explain when it makes sense to skip the paint job and sell to cash buyers instead – because they don’t care about your wall colors.
The 2026 Shift: Why “Cool Gray” is Out and “Warm Greige” is In
The biggest news in paint colors for 2026 is that cool gray is out. Gray tones were a huge hit for nearly a decade and are now being replaced by warmer, more inviting “greige” (gray-beige) blends. So bye-bye gray, hello greige. The shift started happening because buyers started to favor more neutral tones that feel warm and cozy instead of cold and clinical. Cool gray also doesn’t photograph well and can make spaces feel cold, especially here in Texas, where buyers expect warmth to match our climate.
The trends we’re seeing for 2026 show buyers gravitating to warm neutral tones for their emotional connections. The most popular greige colors are Accessible Beige by Sherwin-Williams and Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore – so you can’t go wrong with either of those. These neutral tones are probably popular because they offer the perfect color palette for buyers’ furniture and appeal to everyone.
Top Interior Paint Colors for Texas Homes (Specific Brands)
Pulling from recent real estate data from Texas markets, here is what we’re seeing with specific paint colors that are bringing higher offers:
- Sherwin-Williams – pretty budget-friendly brand. As mentioned earlier, Accessible Beige is really popular. The color can be described as warm beige with subtle gray undertones. Works great in main living spaces. Buyers like it since it’s neutral and not stark white, plus it can offer excellent versatility for furniture placement.
- Benjamin Moore: Besides Classic Gray, White Dove is a popular option. It’s a creamy white paint that avoids the sterile feeling of a pure white. White Dove is perfect for kitchen cabinets and trim work throughout the home.
- Glidden Paint: Selected Warm Mahogany as the 2026 Color of the Year. This rich, earthy brown works really well as an accent wall in primary bedrooms or dining rooms.
- Behr: Offers a sophisticated greige called Dynast. It offers a perfect balance of gray and beige that gives contemporary vibes while still in warm family.
Best Exterior Colors for Texas Heat & Curb Appeal
It can be hard to land on an exterior paint color here in Texas since we’re dealing with intense heat and bright sunlight. So far, the best exterior home colors balance heat reflection with strong curb appeal. Most people go with lighter colors, which really help reduce energy costs and appeal to all buyers.
Top pick for siding continues to be off-white – even 45% of real estate experts recommended it for resale. Sherwin-Williams Alabaster and Benjamin Moore’s Cloud White are top picks. For things like trim and accent work, you’ll want to consider using warm neutrals like Natural Linen or classic white trim for contrast.
Front door colors are a huge selling feature. Specifically, black doors can add up to $6,500 in resale value according to Zillow. Deep blues and rich greens are also popular. The most important color to avoid is cement gray, which can reduce offers by over $3,000.
Kitchen & Bath: The “High ROI” Zones
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that kitchen and bathroom paint colors have the biggest impact on buyers. According to recent market analysis, the right color choices in these particular spaces can add thousands to your final sales price.
For kitchens, the popular wall paint is muted green tones, and it can add up to $1,600 more in buyer offers. The big trend is bringing nature indoors, which has made sage and olive greens really popular. For kitchen island cabinets, deep forest greens create stunning focal points and appeal to a lot of people.
Earth-tones are the popular trend for bathrooms and can drive up offers. Mid-tone brown tones like Benjamin Moore Gaucho Brown can add $600+ to buyer offers. The reason these warm tones are trending in bathrooms is that they create a spa-like atmosphere – and who doesn’t like that?
The “Danger” Colors: What to AVOID at All Costs
There are definitely certain colors you want to avoid because they can impact your home’s marketability and reduce buyer interest. As local Texas cash home buyers, we’ve seen and personally experienced how poor color choices can make an otherwise attractive home sit on the market for months.
So what colors should you avoid? Anything bright or bold, like electric orange and lime green – those will send potential buyers running for the hills. Pink bedrooms are a no-go, and a bright yellow or red kitchen is off limits. Even beautiful colors can backfire if they’re too personal or intense.
Sadly, cool gray is out. It was holding strong for several years as a sophisticated color, but now appears cold and unwelcoming. Another color that is a turn-off now is stark white rooms because they can feel institutional rather than homey. What it ultimately comes down to is that the buyers want to feel emotionally connected to spaces, and these sterile tones just aren’t providing that vibe.
Is Painting Worth It? (Cost vs. Value Analysis)
Now that we’ve covered paint colors and how they can impact your home sale, we’re going to go over how much it will cost you to repaint. To hire professionals to take care of the interior painting that will typically cost $3-6$ per square foot in Texas. Exterior painting runs about $2-$4 per square foot. So, on an average 2,000 sqft home, you’d be looking at investing $8,000-$15,000 for an entire paint job. Fresh paint adds about $8,000 in resale value, making it a decent return home improvement project.
Properties with updated neutral colors also usually sell 23% faster than homes with outdated or bold color schemes. With Texas’s competitive real estate market, this speed can help prevent price reductions and carrying costs that often are more than the painting investment. Many tax-deductible improvements in Texas qualify when used to increase the property’s basis for capital gains calculations, providing additional financial benefits beyond the direct resale value increase.
Skip the Painter and Sell “As-Is” to Four 19 Properties
Painting your house isn’t cheap and can be a hassle, moving stuff out of the way for the painters or dealing with the smell. Skipping the painting project is an option. If your timeline is tight, your budget is limited, or your property needs more than just a fresh coat of paint, selling directly to cash buyers might make more financial sense. We buy houses in Garland, Dallas, Fort Worth, and throughout the Metroplex in any condition – no fresh paint required.
When you sell your house fast in Haltom City or surrounding areas to Four 19 Properties, the paint color isn’t a big deal. We’ve bought houses with purple bedroom walls, orange kitchens, and our personal favorite pea green front door. No matter what color combination you have, we can make you a cash offer based on your home’s current condition, not the potential after expensive renovations.
When you add it all up, the numbers often favor direct sales because the true cost of repainting, home staging, realtor commissions, and extended carrying costs can cost tens of thousands. It would definitely be worth your time to get a cash offer and compare your options – just contact our team for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions (Texas Painting Guide)
Does painting a house white really make it sell faster?
Not anymore – pure white is actually losing popularity. Yes, white homes do sell faster than other bold colors, but warm off-whites and creamy tones perform better than stark white. The best thing you can do is pick neutral paint colors that will show well in photos and appeal to everyone.
Should I paint the trim the same color as the walls?
Using one color all over is popular, but you just need to be careful. Interior colors, for example, work well with some subtle contrast with different paint finishes like eggshell walls and satin trim. By using different finishes, you’ll create depth without major color changes that might limit future decor choices.
Do cash buyers care about ugly paint colors?
No cash buyers aren’t picky about paint colors. Professional home-buying companies are more interested in the structure of the home, its location, and overall condition rather than minor cosmetic things like paint color. The color walls you have don’t affect our offers because we understand that interior spaces can be easily updated. The same can’t be said for traditional buyers using real estate agents. They are influenced by first impressions and may have a hard time looking past bold or outdated color choices.
Conclusion
Choosing the right paint colors for selling your home in Texas comes down to understanding current buyer preferences and market trends. The 2026 shift toward warm neutrals and nature-inspired tones reflects buyers’ desire for homes that feel welcoming rather than sterile. Whether you choose creamy whites, sophisticated greiges, or earth-tone accents, the goal is to create spaces that allow potential buyers to envision their future living room gatherings and peaceful bedroom retreats.
Remember that paint is just one factor in your home’s appeal, and sometimes the smartest financial decision is skipping the project entirely. If you’re dealing with time constraints, budget limitations, or extensive repair needs, consider learning more about us at Four 19 Properties. Contact us today to get a cash offer and discover why thousands of homeowners choose direct sales over lengthy listing processes.