If you’re planning to list your home for sale, a fresh coat of paint on the walls may be key to getting top dollar!

Anyone who has watched real estate shows like House Hunters on HGTV knows that buyers don’t always have the imagination to see past your personal design choices, like a bright accent wall in the family room.

That’s why you need to listen to your agent and make your home look as move-in ready as possible before listing it.

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Interior designers reveal popular interior paint colors to sell your home faster

Clark.com reached out to the Trulia Design Panel, an expert group of interior designers, to find out the best paint colors that may help sell your home faster and for more money.

The bottom line from the designers is to keep it plain and simple, preferably with neutral colors. Here are their top picks:

Hannah Crowell, Crowell & Co.

“I am a big advocate of ‘paint it white!’ It makes any space fresh and bright and allows for a potential buyer to see the home as a truly blank canvas. In bedrooms, I love Farrow and Ball’s Cornforth White. It is a very subtle gray that is soft and unassuming. If you want to have one room that is a bit deeper, I often use Farrow and Ball’s Lamp Room Gray, which is a beautiful greenish gray. Beautiful in a dining room! And if you want to go bold, do it in a powder room. My go-to is Farrow and Ball’s Hague Blue. It is a fail-safe!”

Farrow and Ball’s Cornforth White

Farrow and Ball’s Lamp Room Gray

Farrow and Ball’s Hague Blue

Jay Britto and David Charette, Britto Charette

“We believe that neutrals are the best paint colors to be used for every room in the home. Our go-to color is Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White. This will create a blank canvas for a potential home buyer and it will be easier for the buyer to envision what his/her artwork and furniture will look like in the space. We recommend painting ceilings in matte and walls in eggshell; paint trim and doors in semi-gloss for easier cleaning.”

Important note: If you don’t want to buy the specific brands of paint that the designers have recommended, home improvement stores like The Home Depot and Lowe’s offer free color matching.

Here are five more tips the design pros shared with Clark.com:

1. Start with a quality paint: Most paint sellers can color match, but they can’t quality match. If you buy a top-rated paint in the first place, the coverage will be better and you won’t need as many coats.

2. Buy a few samples: A paint chip probably won’t look the same when it’s on your wall, so it’s a good idea to get a few sample pots to test before you buy gallons and gallons of paint.

“I have learned from experience that you need to sand those test swatches down before painting the color you chose. I have been on too many job sites where I can see the test squares even below two coats — not a good look!” — Hannah Crowell, Crowell & Co

3. Watch DIY videos: If you’re taking on the project yourself, learn the techniques that professional painters use to achieve a high-quality finish needed to impress potential homebuyers.

This Old House has put together a video tutorial that covers painting a room from start to finish:

4. Remember the punch list: Even the best painters will need to do some touch-up work. If you hire a pro, keep a list of imperfections and have the painter fix them before the final payment.

5. Think about the timeline: Whether you hire a painter or do it yourself, be realistic about the time it will take to paint and vent the space. You’ll need at least three days to avoid a strong paint smell.

RELATED: These are the 9 best paints for your home

Do you have a favorite brand and color of paint that you would recommend to someone selling their home? Share it with Team Clark in the comments below!

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