Knock, knock… who’s there? It’s your front door signaling that it’s in need of an upgrade. Updating or replacing a lackluster front door can be a quick and easy upgrade to change the look and feel of a home.
There’s really no one-size-fits-all approach to handling the project. Looking through the lens of a home stager, contractor, and a real estate agent, it’s easy to see that depending on your budget, the type of door you renovate, or whether you’re confident with DIY projects, you might be surprised that the completed project will pay back the most in happiness.
A little bit of creativity goes a long way.
“From a staging perspective, there are some straightforward and impactful ways to update a front door,” says Kati Baker, a luxury home staging specialist at Chicago-based Downtown Realty Company. “A fresh coat of paint is the first step and will make the most obvious difference. Don’t be afraid to get a little creative!”
From there, move on to what Baker calls “the jewelry.” She recommends updating entry hardware such as handles and locks in a contemporary finish. “A beautiful doorbell and a whimsical door knocker in a metal that matches your new entry hardware will take everything to the next level,” says Baker. “If your mailbox is adjacent to your front door, make sure to update that as well.”
For the finishing touches, Baker suggests incorporating elements that express your personality and taste. She says, “Hang a seasonal wreath on the door, add a new doormat, and accent with a fresh potted plant beside the door.”
Restore, replace or rebuild.
As one would expect, Tom Silva, a contractor notable for his long-running participation on the PBS shows “This Old House” and “Ask This Old House,” prefers to restore old doors.
He explains, “On the older houses, they have these charming old front doors that are in some cases 100 to 150 years old, and they get tired over time. But a lot of people don’t want to get rid of them because they love the charm of the old door. What I have done for the show a couple of times, but also on projects unrelated to the show, is I take the door and rebuild it.”
“I’m always a fan of whenever I can save something, I’ll save it,” says Silva. He gave as an example a four-panel exterior door with glass above it. “Over time, the doors have a tendency to sag or maybe the joint has broken free. Take the inefficient glass out and put in insulated glass to make it a little more efficient. Take the moldings off, and now you have access to the panels. Glue the door back together, and refinish it with a new veneer.”
Create a welcoming front entrance.
Anne-Marie Wurzel, a Florida real estate agent, believes sellers shouldn’t take it for granted that buyers will accept a home’s flaws in a competitive market. She says little touches like a fresh coat of paint on an outdated door and a welcome doormat play a crucial role in a guest’s first impression of your abode.
“Even though houses are selling so quickly in this market, it’s still important to show that the seller cares how their home is presented to a potential buyer,” says Wurzel. “For an outdated front door, I would paint it, update the hardware and also spruce up the area right around the door, perhaps with a new welcome mat and two freshly potted plants. That way, the overall impression is positive, and the money spent by the seller is minimal.”
Brenda Richardson is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in Forbes, the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and other media outlets. She is the former real estate editor at the Chicago Tribune and the author of a recently published book on the history of River North, a dynamic Chicago neighborhood that went from rags to riches.
Curb appeal is critical. As Jody Stein Davis, Realtor with The Mountain Girls at Keller Williams Realty, says, “Curb appeal is HUGE in order to get buyers out of their car and inside. The wrong first impression can tank a sale.”
But sometimes you have to go beyond curb appeal. Flowers and shrubs are great, but the accessories you buy for the yard tell a story. They create a vision that prospective buyers fall in love with. Buyers will imagine themselves entertaining friends on summer nights underneath the twinkle of bistro lights, or curled up with a hot toddy and a blanket around the fire pit in the fall. They’ll dream of tending to their vegetable garden, snipping flowers from the window boxes, and learning the ins and outs of filler, spiller, and thriller as they ready their planters each season.
And this is all before they get inside.
These recommendations don’t just look nice — they’re selling a lifestyle. That’s why these are the seven accessories you should always buy for your yard according to real estate pros.
Even if most people will see your home during the day, there’s something about bistro lights they can’t resist. Josie Rees, a Realtor with eXp Realty, says, “In the backyard, bistro lights can spark visions of entertaining family and friends for any occasion.” It’s that allure of the twinkly lights — strung up like they’re in a European cafe, they immediately get buyers imagining a warm, romantic spring night with a chilled rosé. Who wouldn’t want to call this place home?
Is there anything more charming than a home with window boxes? The answer is decidedly no, so, of course, they’re a worthy addition to your yard. If you’re worried about the maintenance, don’t fret. “It may be difficult in colder months to maintain fresh flowers but luckily, Amazon has some realistic faux flowers that have helped my past sellers in a pinch,” says Rees.
Tricia Gray Hendricks, with Long & Foster in Cape May, New Jersey, recommends showing off landscaping potential not only with flowers, but also an herb or vegetable garden in a quadrant in the backyard. Consider a tidy raised bed to get green-thumbed buyers dreaming of all the tomatoes and lettuce they’re going to grow as soon as they make your house their home.
Adirondack Chairs and a Fire Pit
If you haven’t put a lot of time into your yard or you’re dealing with a blank canvas, Hendricks says a quick fix could be as simple as bringing in a few classic Adirondack chairs and a fire pit. “Buyers like to be able to imagine or see themselves enjoying the outside as an extension of indoor living,” she says. Plus, idyllic, timeless Adirondack chairs are one of those furniture styles that will appeal to almost any buyer. (P.S. A fire pit that is part of a more permanent structure could bring in a 500 percent ROI!)
Don’t lose a prospective buyer simply because your ratty doormat is tracking in loose coir fibers behind you. “A fresh doormat sets a good tone before they even step inside,” Davis says. Opt for a simple selection rather than cheeky (though I know there are so many good ones out there!).
To add both a sculptural and floral punch, look to planters that go beyond the basic terracotta pot. “If you have a smaller house, then just one near the door would be sufficient, if larger, then go for two flanking the doorway,” recommends Davis. Add seasonal flowers to grab buyers’ attention and get them thinking about next year when they’ll fill the planters with the florals of their choice.
Davis adds, “Be careful about size so they add to the appeal and do not detract from the doorway itself and/or the ability to get in without being hit in the face by a plant!”
Though not necessarily an accessory, Washington, D.C. area Realtor Maureen Weaver says no house should hit the market without this one easy and inexpensive purchase: fresh mulch. It’s a quick way to make the entire yard feel like it was just landscaped yesterday. Plus, a bag of mulch will only run you a few bucks.
Sarah is a staff writer at Apartment Therapy. She completed her MA in journalism at the University of Missouri and has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Belmont University. Past writing and editing stops include HGTV Magazine, Nashville Arts Magazine, and several outlets local to her hometown, Columbia, Missouri.
Sarah Magnuson is a Chicago-based, Rockford, Illinois-born and bred writer and comedian. She has bachelor’s degrees in English and Sociology and a master’s degree in Public Service Management. When she’s not interviewing real estate experts or sharing her thoughts on laundry chutes (major proponent), Sarah can be found producing sketch comedy shows and liberating retro artifacts from her parents’ basement.
National Curb Appeal Month in August is the perfect time to discover the strong value of replacing an older, worn-out garage door. A new garage door can substantially increase the curb appeal of a home, while also being a solid investment.
According to the 2021 Cost Versus Value Study, coordinated by Remodeling magazine, a garage door replacement project is the #1 project with the highest recoup value for homeowners across the country.
“This study reports that when homeowners replace an older garage door they can recoup an average of 93.8 percent of their expenditure,” says Jeffrey Nofziger, president of Haas Door. “These numbers confirm that adding a new garage door to an existing home is a smart decision. Investing in a new garage door has impressive payback, brings added value to a home and enhances a home’s curb appeal.”
Curb Appeal Improvements
One of the key ways a new garage door boosts a home’s value is by strengthening its curb appeal. Since the garage door is oftentimes located on the front of the house exterior, it’s a major element of the home’s overall style. Because of that “prime location,” adding a new garage door can upgrade the entire look of the home exterior. If yours is busted, you can hire a garage door company that can also leave you with new garage door openers.
“There are so many different design elements for garage doors in today’s marketplace,” says Nofziger. “There are many styles and stamped design options to choose from. Windows with a variety of colors, along with privacy and impact glasses, are very popular and complement the overall design of the home.”
Insights from Building Industry Pros
Year-after-year Haas garage doors prove a solid investment for both new construction and remodeling projects. While adding significantly to curb appeal, a well-built garage door can also add insulation value to the home and protection from severe weather. So, if you need garage door repair, you should do it before selling.
“We find that the Haas garage doors follow the architectural style of our homes,” says Jason Norton, vice president of residential construction with Buchanan Construction in Asheville, N.C. “They also have color options that make it easy to have the garage doors included as a vital part of the curb appeal of our homes.
Fragment of a luxury house with a garage door in Vancouver, Canada.
“Our clients love the fact that Haas Door can match the designs they prefer, plus offer additional options. The versatility in selection and styles really brings value to our homes.”
In Columbus, Ohio, builder Rob Capaldo echoes Buchanan’s thoughts. “We pride ourselves on operating as a true custom home builder,” says Capaldo, principal at Capaldo Construction. “We do not build the same floor plan or house design twice. Ever. All our homes are unique in style and design architecturally. We need the garage doors to match and coordinate with each distinctive style we create.
“Fortunately we’ve found that Haas Door is a great partner for our wide range of needs. From classic to contemporary in design, they offer a variety of styles and configurations that complement our home designs. Add to that the superior craftsmanship, and exceptional value of Haas Door and they accomplish everything we look for in our garage doors.”
Haas Door Helps
To see what a new garage door can look like on a home, the free HaasCreate online design tool lets you “try on” a new Haas Door garage door. Simply upload a picture of a home exterior showing the current garage or use images supplied by Haas Door.
With just a few clicks of the mouse, a homeowner or building professional can quickly see different styles, window glass, colors, hardware and trim details of a new garage door on the home.
“Using HaasCreate is the easiest way to visualize how a new garage door will improve the overall curb appeal of a home,” says Nofziger. “We also like to remind homeowners not to try and replace a garage door by themselves. This is definitely a job for a professional installer. They’ll handle all the details.”
