How to Improve the Front Entrance to Help Sell a Home

Cut back overgrown vegetation to keep your home looking tidy.

Potential buyers make decisions about your home within minutes of arriving. A house with poor curb appeal can make them drive off without even looking, and a dismal front entrance can make them instantly question the condition of the entire house. Before advertising your home for sale, take some time and a little money to pique the interest of those who might buy.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Cleaning supplies
• Tools for basic repairs and installing fixtures
• Gardening/landscaping tools
• Outdoor paint and/or stain
• Door handles and deadbolt
• Door mat
• Doorbell
• Fresh flowers
• Mailbox
• House numbers
• Lighting
• Porch furniture
• Sculptures
• Fake greenery
• New storm door
• Decorative accessories

1. Clean the front door and storm door. Clean the handles and trim to a shine if they are still in good repair. Wash windows and screens. Remember the porch light, mailbox and siding.

2. Repaint or stain the front door, if necessary. After years of use and outside weather conditions, the finish on your front door can become faded, chipped and uninviting. A light sanding and a fresh coat of paint will instantly brighten the entrance and make your door look brand new. Make note of the finish and content of your door -- wood or metal -- and follow the manufacturer's instructions for choosing the right type of paint for outdoor use.

3. Buy new door handles. Metal door handles can tarnish and even chip. Since the door handle will be the first part of your house the buyers will touch, it's important that it looks appealing. Consider adding a deadbolt if you don't already have one. This is an added safety feature that buyers will appreciate.

4. Spruce up the steps and/or porch. Like the front door, a new coat of paint to the floor and railings of a front porch will instantly brighten the entrance. Make any repairs necessary to warped wooden steps or chipped concrete. Tighten railings and make sure they're sturdy.

5. Add some life. Blooming flowers add beauty and warmth to the front of a home. If you have room on the steps or porch, add flowering pots. You can also plant flowers in a window box or place small potted plants on the front windowsill. Hang flowers in pots from the porch roof or eaves.

6. Add furniture. If you have a front porch, make it usable space. Add a table and chairs to fit the space so buyers can imagine themselves having breakfast or reading the newspaper on the front porch. If you have a limited budget, buy a decorative chair and small table. Anything that helps stimulate the buyer's imagination is a positive investment.

7. Decorate. Add a colorful wreath to the door and a fresh new welcome mat in front of the door. Buy new house numbers and a new doorbell -- all sorts of styles and colors are available, but keep in mind that you want to appeal to as many buyers as possible. Replace the old mailbox with a new one. If you have furniture on the porch, add new cushions to the chairs and buy some pretty plastic or rattan placemats for the table. Add a vase and flowers.

8. Add new lighting. This is an inexpensive fix that makes a big impression. A new light with clear glass and a shining finish gives buyers the idea that the house is in good condition with new fixtures. Match the style of the house, and consider classic designs that will appeal to a wide variety of buyers.

9. Trim greenery. If you have shrubs and vines around your front entrance and/or porch, make sure they don't overpower the space and obscure the door and windows. You don't want your house entrance to look hidden, mysterious or simply overgrown. Neatly tended landscaping shows buyers you take care of your house. Eliminate any dead branches or plants so they don't detract from the overall greenery and flowers.

10. Buy a new storm door. This is one of the pricier endeavors, but if your storm door is beat up, bent, doesn't close properly or otherwise gives a bad impression, it's a good investment to replace it. If you have an attractive front door, you can highlight it with a full glass storm door. If your front door isn't in the best shape, you can buy a decorative storm door that will make a good first impression and is much cheaper than replacing a solid wood or metal front door.

Tips & Warnings

• Use whatever ideas fit your budget. Any improvements you make will brighten the space and make it more inviting for potential buyers.

• In winter conditions, fresh flowers aren't an option. Choose a beautiful silk flower wreath that stands out on your front door and brightens the space. A cement or metal sculpture can withstand winter conditions and will add dimension and interest to the front porch. You can also put pots out with dirt and fake evergreen topiaries or greenery.

References

• CNN Money: Add Curb Appeal to Your Home