One of my favorite pieces of advice to my sellers is to "pretend that you are buying your home." It's true. If you come home tomorrow and you pretend that you are buying your own home.... what would you think? Keep a paper and pen handy because your first impression might just say it all.
I can't tell you how often I walk up to a grand two story entrance with a porch/stoop and there are cobwebs to navigate and leaf piles that surely belong to Mickey Mouse. Perhaps there are animals living in the home... the owners don't use the front door except to let the dog out and the wood on either side is all scratched up from dog trying to commicate with his owner.
These are the mundane. The details that we might miss because we've trained ourselves to walk past them every single day. Truth be told... if the same person walked into a home they were buying they would be mortified with 'all the upkeep.' In their minds they are adding up the things that they look at their own residence and knowing it won't get any better than this.
That's why it's oober important to clean up the front. Polish the windows, scrub or vacuum the floor. I would even recommend using the front entrance as your primary 'in and out' of the home during your listing. The constant use will keep some of those lowly spiders at bay.
Is it spring? Is it fall? Those leftover leaves belong in the compost.
Is it summer? The weeds growing between the cracks? They gotta go.
Is it winter? Are the steps passable? If not you might want to add insurance.
Why? Because it all starts here. Where the buyers are generally forced to stand and look around while the Realtor unlocks the door. Where their eye draws when they are pulling up the drive. Where they imagine themselves coming and going throughout the day.
The appeal of the entrance can be the difference of a sale or no sale. Because in a buyer's mind? It is their first impression!
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