OHA Market Update Series - Aug 21, 2025
National: A recent study shows that certain interior paint colors can boost a home’s sale price, with muted olive green kitchens, navy blue bedrooms, and charcoal gray living rooms leading to higher offers, while bright, bold colors may deter buyers and lower potential sale prices. Choosing the right tones can make a home feel move-in ready and more appealing to buyers.
Local: The Austin metro continues to boom, with suburbs like Kyle, Georgetown, and Lockhart planning tens of thousands of new homes while areas like Cedar Park shift toward density as they near build-out. For buyers, this means more options in emerging markets, and for sellers, it highlights where resale homes may face new construction competition.
Intrigued? Keep reading.
(4 minute read)
National Real Estate Update
Housing Trends, Interest Rates, and Market Forecasts
The Paint Colors That Can Actually Boost Your Home’s Sale Price
When it comes to preparing a home for the market, a fresh coat of paint is one of the simplest and most affordable upgrades you can make. But here’s the kicker — the color you choose really matters.
A new Zillow study surveyed over 4,000 recent and prospective buyers and found that certain paint colors can actually increase a home’s perceived value and even drive up offer prices. On the flip side, the wrong shade can cost sellers thousands.
Here are the highlights:
Olive Green Kitchens = More Green at Closing
Buyers love muted olive green kitchens, with homes in this color seeing $1,597 higher offers on average. It’s a calming shade that ties into the organic modern trend that’s so popular right now.
Navy Blue Bedrooms = Restful & Rewarding
Bedrooms painted in navy blue brought in $1,815 more on average. Buyers connect with the serene, cozy vibe — which makes sense for a room that’s supposed to feel like a retreat.
Charcoal Gray Living Rooms = Modern Appeal
Dark gray continues to dominate living rooms, adding an average $2,593 premium. This color signals sophistication and “move-in readiness” — two big selling points for buyers.
Bathrooms with Mid-Tone Browns = On Trend
This one might surprise you: mid-tone browns in bathrooms delivered the highest offer boosts. This earthy, nature-inspired look reflects current design trends and adds warmth in a space that’s often overlooked.
The Wrong Colors = A Costly Mistake
Not every paint project pays off. Zillow found that daisy yellow kitchens or living rooms could reduce offers by nearly $4,000, and bold reds in bedrooms or living rooms dragged down values by nearly $2,000.
OHA’s HOT TAKE:
Painting is always a smart prep step before listing — but being strategic about color choices can literally put more money in your pocket. Instead of going with “safe” outdated advice like keeping everything light and beige, think about what today’s buyers actually want to see.
If you’re thinking about selling, I’d be happy to walk through your home and recommend the paint colors that will make the biggest impact for your specific space. Sometimes a few cans of paint can be the difference between sitting on the market and getting multiple offers.
Austin Area Real Estate & Community Update:
Market Trends, Local News, and Neighborhood Insights
Where Are New Homes Headed in the Austin Metro?
If you’ve been in Austin for any length of time, you’ve seen firsthand how quickly the metro has been growing. It feels like every time you drive down 35 or 130, there’s a new subdivision popping up. A recent Austin Business Journal report gave us a peek into just how much housing is in the pipeline—and it’s eye-opening.
Growth Hotspots
Some of the fastest-growing suburbs are seeing huge numbers of planned homes:
Kyle: nearly 44,000 homes in the works
Georgetown: nearly 32,000 homes
Taylor: about 8,500 homes
Buda: about 6,600 homes
Meanwhile, Cedar Park is nearing capacity—reporting only about 200 new homes planned as they shift focus to density and mixed-use projects instead.
Lockhart’s Rise
One of the most interesting areas to watch is Lockhart. The city has about 8,800 homes in its pipeline and has been one of the fastest-growing parts of Caldwell County—now ranked among the top 10 fastest-growing counties in the country.
Why Lockhart? It’s positioned near Austin, San Marcos, Kyle, and Buda, but still offers more affordable land and a balance of location + value. The city has been proactive, updating comprehensive plans, water/wastewater planning, and even looking at lessons learned from Austin’s growth. Developers are betting big too, with projects like Moxie, a mixed-use community delivering its first lots by Fall 2025.
What This Means for Buyers & Sellers
For buyers, this kind of pipeline is encouraging—more inventory means more options, especially for those who want affordability but still want to stay close to the core. Cities like Lockhart and Kyle are becoming strong alternatives to Austin proper.
For sellers, it’s a reminder that competition from new construction is real. Homes in areas with fewer new builds—like Cedar Park—may hold stronger resale demand, while areas with high new construction pipelines may need extra strategy when it comes to pricing and marketing.
OHA’S HOT TAKE
Austin’s growth story isn’t slowing down—it’s just spreading out. Suburbs are shaping their futures now with comprehensive plans, water rights, and infrastructure decisions that will impact how these communities feel in 5, 10, or 20 years.
If you’re thinking about buying or selling in the Austin metro, it helps to understand where the growth is headed—and how it could affect home values and lifestyle.
Jennifer Carey
Realtor and Agent Success Manager at Open House Austin, real estate investor, and renovation enthusiast with Wimberley Airbnbs. She loves mid-century modern design, hiking Austin with her dogs, yoga and pilates, and has been enjoying gardening at her new home in East Austin🎶✨
