EASY FRONT PORCH TIPS BEFORE YOU LIST
To get an idea of the home behind the ‘For Sale’ sign, look at the front porch. Except for the time my Valentine theme front door looked like a burlesque show, a front porch tells us all we need to know about the home. These easy front porch tips before you list will have your porch ready for your first showing!
The best part is that these tips work if you have no plans to move.
FRONT PORCH STATUS
When showing houses to buyers, I pay attention to the owners’ front porches. Sometimes a front porch tells us all we need to know about the homeowners on the other side of the door.
Do they have rotting pumpkins in December?
A mailslot stuffed with junk mail suggests a home is vacant.
A front porch should look neat and uncluttered.
It is the prologue to the owner’s home.
Sidenote: These ideas are listed below, but serve as a great seasonal reminder to check in on your porch.
If your front door looks like the clearance sale at Hobby Lobby, this is a great one-hour-ish project! Less is more on a front porch.
I admit my house has had a dry cleaning bag on the front porch for five days. It got to the point where I started counting the days until my husband needed a shirt and had to physically remove it from the porch.
Sidenote: I could totally relate to the “Everybody Loves Raymond” suitcase episode.
And, my husband thinks our garbage service includes curb-to-garage service.
Right now, as I share tips to a tidy front porch, I have a bag of topsoil leaning against the railing next to a dead boxwood shrub.
Every potential buyer stands on the front porch while their Realtor opens the lockbox.
And it usually takes more than one attempt to open the lockbox. This equals sixty seconds for a potential buyer to judge your porch.
FRONT DOOR TIPS BEFORE YOU LIST
Wash the front door. Use a rag to get into the corners.
Clean the front porch lights.
If your fixtures look like mine right now- covered in dust, cobwebs, and random pine needles.
Take the time to clean them.
If your porch lights are the size of a quart of paint, you may want to replace them with larger fixtures.
It is a modest improvement. If you are not ready to move but are curious about what to update or upgrade, read this post about light fixtures.
On a side note: Keep conversations to yourself, as most homes have Ring doorbells recording your comments.
One could argue that this might be helpful feedback to a seller whose home has been sitting on the market for over 90 days.
LESS IS MORE
Again, I am guilty of this as well.
If I sold my home in October, I would have a mix of real and faux pumpkins on the front porch and repurposed paint buckets.
If a home looks neat, tidy, and well-maintained, buyers will notice. It gives buyers some nonverbal assurances that the homeowners likely kept repair invoices and the names of service providers.
- If you have cobwebs in the door’s molding, wipe the door down.
- Add flowers or a potted fern for a pop of seasonal color.
- Clean your handrail and spindles.
Boxwoods are another option.
You can either balance both sides with potted plants or opt for one oversized plant and planter.
Here’s an easy idea to make your planters appear larger.
Does the front door need a fresh coat of paint or stain?
POTTED PLANTS
And the great news is you don’t have to list your house to freshen up your front door.
If the planters look tired, you may be able to give them a fresh look by with spray paint.
If your porch planters are crowding the porch, you could purchase one oversized planter rather than two smaller ones.
Buy some oversized flower pots (Costco, Home Depot).
You should be able to see your front porch flowers from the street.
No matter what size porch you have, you want your flowers or a boxwood plant to make the front porch their own!
My friend Michelle updated her front porch light with a chandelier.
She has a small porch, and the chandelier is the statement piece. It dresses up her porch. She hired an electrician to install it.
I always purchase a new mat for sellers to put on their front or back door.
My front porch features a checkered cotton rug and a coir mat at the front door.
It looks great for a day, and then the wind kicks up, and all of a sudden, my cute checkered doormat looks like the squirrels brought me a dozen pine needles and leaves.
Less is more when you are selling your home.
Grab a front door mat from Target and an oversized wreath for the front door.
I buy this welcome mat for my clients’ porches.
Larger wreaths look amazing on front doors. Smaller wreaths look like you didn’t have a wreath on your door until your Realtor told you to add one.
That’s it! Here’s the key to a front porch. You want buyers to be excited about what is behind the front door.
If you have tips for a front porch, please share in the comments. I will add them to this list!
I suggest hiding these items before listing them. What would you add to this list?
Thank you for stopping by today.
Great tips!