Roof Color and Resale

Can My Roof Color Affect Resale?

Homeowner Question: I want to use color on my roof, but I’m worried about resale? Should I be?

Chad’s Answer: First, as you probably know, there are hundreds of things that can impact the resale of a house—none of which have anything to do with the roof. But it is true that the way the exterior of a home for sale looks can be the difference between buyers looking further into the house or driving by to the next one.

Using color on your roof doesn’t have to mean you’re putting your home at risk not to sell. But you should have a well-designed exterior color palette, including your roof, to make the best impression on buyers. And that best impression might not be beige on beige on beige—inside and outside of the house as it was in the ’90s.

In today’s world, “safe” may mean gray on gray on gray—inside and outside, but I encourage you to consider how a little splash of color might add interest—a move to take your home from ‘safe’ to ‘striking’. And this includes your roof in a well-executed exterior color palette.

If you are hesitant about choosing a more dramatic roof color but need to replace the roof now when you know for a fact that you won’t be in the home in 5 years, then I would consider focusing on a color that has “mass-appeal” so that you can reach the maximum pool of buyers. For example, there are several Owens Corning shingles that are gray but have multiple granule colors in the shingle “teeth” (the term for the tabs on an architectural shingle) that would allow you to incorporate different colors on your home exterior and in your overall design plan.

But if there is no immediate plan to pack up and move, then my advice is to do what you want for yourself, not for someone you’ve never met on some undetermined future date. And who knows, you may end up choosing the more mass-appeal option because that is what you love anyway!

In general, when it comes to exterior design, a coordinated and thoughtful approach will not only appeal to future buyers but also will give you a sense of cohesion and order. Whether you are selling or not, you don’t want your exterior to look like a random grouping of DIY projects.

The trick is to stand out on your street in a good way!

About Chad Esslinger Design

Chad Esslinger Design is a full-service design company focusing on residential interior design, decorating and remodeling. Chad loves partnering with homeowners to create beautiful and functional living spaces.

Chad Esslinger Design is committed to beautiful and creative design as well as unparalleled service. Chad believes that great design is contemporary but timeless, simple but elegant. The goal of any project is to create breathtaking beauty, innovative functionality, and a truly enjoyable design process. Learn more about Chad.