Your Exterior Entryway Is The First Item On A Home Tour: How To Help It Sell

If you're selling your home and thinking that your exterior entryway could use a boost before you put it on the market, you are right in step with real estate agents. The entryway is arguably the most important aspect of curb appeal, an element of your home that 92% of real estate agents suggest improving in the National Association of REALTORS' 2023 Remodeling Impact Report. A whopping 97% of them cite curb appeal as important in luring buyers. As one of the first elements buyers will see when touring your home, your entryway is critical in making that pivotal first impression on them. Overall, the buyer wants to see an entryway — and entire property — that's well maintained with no signs of neglect so they don't have to anticipate a lot of fixing up. 

Let's imagine you are the prospective buyer as we tour your exterior entryway area and view it through buyer's eyes. You pull up to the curb. Can you easily see the house number? Could it be more stylish? Lots of ready-made and custom options are available for attractive house numbers that align with the look of your home. As you look at the house from the curb, where is your eye drawn? For many designers, the front door is an appropriate focal point, and you can make it so with a striking (but neighborhood-friendly) door color, scale, or design. Upgrading your front door yields solid cost recovery — 100% on a steel front door and 80% for a fiberglass door, according to the 2025 Remodeling Impact Report from the National Association of REALTORS. Check out the latest front door trends that will elevate the look of your home.

Perhaps you've parked in the driveway instead of at the curb. Ideally, you're not seeing any cracks or stains on the driveway. The powerwasher is your friend when it comes to a spanking clean driveway and other paved areas. Is there a walkway to the exterior entryway, and if not, should there be? Hardscaping features like walkways are important to 45% of buyers, says a survey conducted by American Home Shield. Be sure your walkway is in good condition. Imagine you're approaching the house at night and ensure the exterior lighting is optimal, as effective outdoor lighting is high on the list of buyer wants, and is, of course, also a safety feature.

Now you're almost at the entrance. How's the landscaping around the entryway? You'll want it to look neat, inviting, and well-maintained, not overgrown or weedy. If steps are required to get to the door, ensure they are safe and in good repair. Tighten the railing if needed. A front porch on your home will attract buyers. In a National Association of Home Builders report, 81% of homebuyers surveyed ranked a porch as essential or desirable. The porch is a prime location for seating, flowers and greenery, lantern-style lighting, and seasonal decor, including a rotation of wreaths on the front door. Rugs and pillows can add warmth to the porch; just be sure you're not overdoing it and cluttering up the area. If you don't have a porch, you can still apply outside front entry decorating ideas for your home on a smaller scale.

Now that you're close to the door, consider whether an upgrade is needed for the door elements you couldn't see from the curb, such as the door hardware — handle or knob and kick plate. Upgrading hardware is an easy way to refresh the door's look if you don't want to replace the whole door. For example, you could transform your front door with vintage accent pieces. Instead of a knob or handle, you may want to upgrade to a digital keypad lock — no more keys! Also consider adding statement trim, molding, or shutters to frame your door.

As you complete your simulated homebuyer tour of your own home, keep in mind the value of an optimized exterior entryway as part of your overall curb appeal. It's worth noting that poor curb appeal was a dealbreaker for 68% of buyers in the American Home Shield survey, which also found that successful curb appeal can result in an average $9,195 bump in offers. Above all, strive for an entryway that feels welcoming.