This one small solution could add up to $6,000 in value to your home

You might think that adding value to your home would require big investments and home improvement projects, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. In fact, all you need is a simple fix that you can do yourself. What you need is a black door.

Prospective buyers prefer black doors

According to Zillow, who did a 2010 analysis of about 135,000 photos of homes in the United States, homes with black or charcoal gray doors sold for about $6,271 more than usual, on average.

According to Zillow design expert Kerrie Kelly, “For a seller, painting a front door is one of the most cost-effective home prep projects, but it’s also one that can have a powerful impact on a home’s selling price. While cool, neutral wall colors like tan and light blue are still popular, we’re seeing a noticeable shift in home design where pops of color – particularly in darker blues and grays through to black – are becoming increasingly popular.”

People perceive houses with black doors as more stately and safer

Painting a door black is a great way to add value to your home. According to Realtor.com, black doors make potential buyers feel like the home is serial, stately, and even secure. The color is so popular that two shades are among Sherwin-Williams’ top 50 paint colors: Tricorn Black and Peppercorn.

Additionally, renovating your home with exterior improvements can yield over 95% return on investment, according to HGTV.

Jennie Norris, a professional home stager, shared Open door: “A fresh coat of trendy colors for a home will always look better than an outdated color scheme of peeling, faded and worn paint.”

Why stop there? After you’ve painted your door black, consider painting your living room light taupe as well, as it adds $2800 in value compared to a white-walled alternative. The same goes for light blue bathrooms.

Colors that actually take the value down include red in the kitchen, which sells for $2300 less than expected.

Living rooms in light taupe also contribute to the increase in value