Dallas Real Estate News

We talk alot about "curb appeal", and how important and valuable it is that when buyers drive by, they are immediately attracted to a house. A nicely manicured lawn and some seasonal color are truly important aspects of the overall curb appeal of a property to a prospective buyer, but they are only the beginning. 

I have probably shown a few thousand houses over the years, and I am always surprised to walk up to a house that is for sale to find a dusty, faded front door, funky old hardware and a porch that needs to be swept... all highlighted by an equally funky porchlight that hasn't been cleaned since it was installed fifteen years earlier-- even at homes where the interior shows flawlessly. 

A buyer's first personal experience with a house happens when he/she is waiting on the porch while the agent gets the key to unlock the door.  It is here that if the house could talk, it should literally shout "Welcome!", "Come in, I've been waiting for you!", "Aren't I wonderful?" If you think about it, the front porch could possibly be the one place on the entire property where buyers are literally forced to stand the longest.  And what are they doing all that time that their agent is bent over the keybox waiting for the magic beeps that grant access to the property?  They are looking up, down and all around--and they are seeing every undone, outdated, unswept, faded, chipped, unwashed, sad aspect of that porch.   

A buyer probably won't walk away from a house just because the front door is not shining, but he/she is already forming opinions about value and "how they feel" about a house.  In short, those first 20 or so square feet that are the first to greet your buyer are conceivably the most important of their entire showing, because they either create a sense of positive anticipation about what to expect when that door opens, or they signal the buyer to start marking their check list of things that are wrong.  A perceived need for deferred maintenance does not bode well when it begins before the buyers even get in the door. 

Here's a short list of things to remember about that ever-imporant front entry:

1. Sweep and wash the entire porch:  clear out any nests, cobwebs, and loose paint.   (If it's necessary to rent or borrow a pressure wash to make it sparkle, do it.  It's inexpensive and quick.)
2. Touch up any paint where needed on the eaves, porch roof, front shutters.
3. Select a complimentary/contrasting color paint for the front door that will draw positive attention to it from the street and eliminate any fading, chipping or stains that are currently visible.  (Obviously, if the door is stained wood, you might prefer to reapply a fresh coat of stain rather than paint.)
4. Invest in a new door knob, lock and front porch light.  If you have a mailbox mounted on your porch or kickplate on the door, replace those, too. Ditto for house numbers. (When you do this, make sure that you stay consistent in your finish and design choices.)
5. Make certain that the new lock (any lock/knob or door hinge) does not stick, squeak or otherwise draw attention to itself! 
6. Clean any windows and/or door panes that front onto the porch.
7. Trim away any shrubbery or trees that hide the front door from street view.
8. Add flowering plants in pots (if there is room).    
9. Add "front porch" to your list of things to check and maintain during the selling process.