Many people who are interested in selling their home have heard about the importance of curb appeal. A home with great curb appeal will entice potential buyers to take a closer look at your house. As noted in a recent video by DeWayne Carpenter, when potential buyers show up to take a closer look, the front entry of your home plays a very important role in setting the buyers perception of the property. While the buyers are standing in the front entry waiting on their real estate agent to open the lockbox, they are looking all around the entryway area evaluating how the home looks and feels.
Here are 5 easy suggestions to make your entryway more appealing to potential home buyers:
Painted Front Door - A fresh coat of paint that covers up all of those scuffs and scratches that have accumulated over the years is a great place to start. A fresh coat of paint can also help the front door stand out from street and adds a nice "pop" of color to the home.
New Door Hardware - A new door handle not only looks great but also functions smoothly allowing easy access into the home. An old, rusted door handle is not appealing and can be difficult to operate. You do not want potential buyers struggling to open the door....new hardware is a simple and relatively cheap way to ensure this doesn't happen.
Keep It Clean - Clean the entryway frequently by sweeping up dirt, leaves or bugs and keep it free of spider webs. Many homeowners go in and out of their house through the garage and don't realize how much yard debris, dirt or spider webs are lingering around the front door. Walking through spider webs or seeing dead bugs around the house is a major turn off for most people.
Landscaping & Decor - Keep the landscaping around the entryway pruned, free of weeds and freshly mulched. If possible, add some decor to your porch to give it a more welcoming feel. Keep it simple though....some flowers in a pot or some seating if you have room can add charm and gives buyers something to look at while waiting to get inside.
Safe Walkway - Be sure that the walkway leading up to the front door is free of tripping hazards. If the concrete or pavers are uneven or there are cracks that people could trip over, get it fixed. Young children or people who have difficulty walking are especially susceptible to tripping hazards.
All of these suggestions are easy and inexpensive and really go a long way towards establishing favorable buyer perceptions of your property.
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Brent Burns is a REALTOR® with the Carpenter | Kessel Team. Brent serves clients in Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and surrounding communities.