What are the best colors to paint a house (in the country, in the West Coast, near water and Mt. Rainier) for resale?

Your agent would be the best person to ask. They are professionals whose income depends on being able to sell your house, so they will know the answers you need.

Had very bad luck with the agent who gave it a try this summer. He said leave everything as it was, except to cut a couple of trees. He is gone from this project, and I thought it might be fun to get some other ideas.

I would imagine sticking to neutral colors such as white, gray, tan, or beige would be your best bet. I doubt anyone is going to buy a neon pink house. I see bright pink houses all the time and I’m wondering, why on earth would someone do that to a house?

With my experience with real estate agents, I find that most of them don’t know anything. Even if you ask them simple questions about the house, they seem to know nothing about it. I’m not sure if there are rules about painting the outside of a house where you live, so you may want to double check that before doing anything.

I’m sorry about your experience with real estate agents. Sometimes you need to interview three or four to find the one who works for you. I come from a family of real estate agents, so I understand the good and the bad.

To find a good agent, contact your local membership agency and ask for a list of the highest performers, then contact them

In general, the more your house looks like other similar housing in the area, the better.

If your house is a period home, perhaps drive around your local area and see which houses stand out as looking very attractive to you. Ask the owners about the paint they used.

Other than that, and my real preference, speak to your local library or historical society about photographs of houses or information about house styles/colours from the period your home as built. Take it back to traditional colours.That is what would appeal to me. A house painted in appropriate colours for the period in which it was built.

Bright red with very very pale grey trim. Since it rains so much, don’t paint it beige or other neutral colors that will look dull in the misty air. (Just my opinion based on living in that area for a year and a half)

I forgot to add that the roof is cedar shake. It is on its own, no development. The house is 1930’s with additions that fit with it, but if I had to say, maybe it looks like a cape cod house. Thanks for the responses.

I think a nice shade of green, that blends with the natural environment. Maybe with white trim.
I like homes that blend well with the natural look of their surroundings.

@skfinkel: The views and surrounds are so spectacular that you want the house to look fresh and clean and unobtrusive. Paint the house white and the trim evergreen green; those will look very nice with the cedar shakes, which usually age to a honey color.

Can you plant patches of rose bushes for some big splashes of color? The blossoms will grow to be the size of dinner plates, if I remember correctly.