A Neutral Color is the Color of Choice When Preparing a Home for Sale

You squeezed in cream, beige, tan, and sandy into your descriptions. That's about as neutral as anyone would want. It's excellent advice for sellers, but as you described your own room I couldn't help but wonder what stronger responses your current room would evoke in potential buyers. You might get more "I hate it", but you might find a buyer in the "I love it!" contingent. I guess we have to play the averages and go neutral, but it can be frustrating.

Neutral always but especially now when most buyers tend to nitpick and are looking for a move-in ready homes....not all buyers but most. 

I like the fact that you were sensitive to other cultures. In other cultures, the bright colors are considered typical and common--although I'm not sure whether they are considered as neutral.

Hi Elizabeth, Ooh yum, cat puke green :-)  While I understand Neutral colors for selling, some homes are so neutral they appear boring to me.   Neutral walls and carpet - OK - but get some others colors in there so as not to make me go to sleep!  I agree with you, the room in the photo is screaming....

Ditto on the room photo.  That doesn't look at all appealing to me.  And if I were to be putting my house on the market I would really have to paint.  The boys "man cave" room is red white and blue and my daughter's room has sunshine yellow walls and sky blue ceiling.  Don't know that would appeal to the masses.  But a few years ago I ran across a green that I just fell in love with that feels neutral to me that I used in my office.  It's a duron paint named herbivore that's sort of a mossy green.  It's very calming and goes with a lot.  I'm wondering if you'd consider it neutral as it's earthy?

I would really like to see what "cat-puke-green" looks like...our house has a vivid range of colors but that's not my doing. I'm the kind of guy who would pretty much be happy in a cave as long as it's dry, so I leave the interior decoration decisions to my partner (smart man, eh?)

Elizabeth:  My home is way too neutral.  We haven't done a thing with it since moving in.  The carpets we chose are neutral, and the walls are builder white (a nice way of saying eggshell or off white).  I begged my husband to paint just one room in the house for my Christmas gift.  Since it involved work for him (no self respecting do-it-yourself-er would hire that job out), all the rooms remain the color of boredom.  I'm hoping he goes out of town to see his Mom soon so I can do it myself.  

That is a really interesting point about how the concept of neutral is not the same for everyone. When we suggest to replace the carpet to clients that are getting ready to go on the market, we say replace what's there with "Realtor Beige" 

Its boring, but as you say everyone can look past a neutral color. 

Elizabeth,

It is all about common sense. If you do not plan to sell, do what you like. If you plan to sell, do what the buyers may like.

Elizabeth:  Great post.  I would love to see 'cat-puke green'!  lol.  I agree with you, if you want to sell, choose neural color.  I think you can use some color for accents like pillows etc to give a bit of 'spice' but in general, I think neural color is so much more preferable when buyers walk into a property. 

As a home stager, I can make just about any color on the walls work with the exception of bright neons and too dark colors/dated dulls like mauves.  The key is really how CLEAN the area looks, and what you are putting into the room. Fresh paint and bright woodwork adds the punch.  Minimal staging that works with the wall color is key. Artwork breaks up the color, as do draperies. These two elements are the most missed, in my opinion. As for floors, well, no matter what color they are (neutral preferred) above all the have to be CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN.