If you’ve been thinking about placing your house on the market, you might be wondering what renovations and repairs you can work on to increase your home’s market value. If your entryway is looking a bit outdated or worse for the wear, a great place to consider starting is with your front door. In fact, curb appeal can significantly increase home value; a new front door can add up to $24,000 to a house’s perceived value, making it a great investment.
How Front Doors Increase Home Value
A new front door is one of the best improvements you can make, as it offers a potential return on investment of around 75%. A return on investment, or ROI, means you’ll get back about 75% of what you spent on your new entry door in the form of your home’s increased value. This is subject to how much the door costs and how much it improves the appearance of your home in the eyes of buyers.
Let’s take a look at four ways to increase home value with front doors. It should be noted that these are general suggestions—for more specific assistance, be sure to check with your local real estate professionals for more information.
Paint your front door
If you’re looking for a low-cost, simple way to quickly increase your house’s value, consider adding a fresh coat of paint to your front door. While adding a new coat of your door’s current color will do the job of freshening up your entryway, you might want to consider switching the color completely.
According to Zillow, a black or charcoal front door can add $6,271 to the resale value of a home, making it an excellent investment when preparing your home for the market. Be sure to check with your door manufacturer for warranty and maintenance instructions before painting, to be sure you use the correct type of paint and aren’t taking any steps that would compromise the integrity of the door. For example, Plastpro recommends steering away from these darker paint colors if your door receives a lot of direct sunlight or doesn’t have an overhang—darker colors can speed up the rate of UV damage to the door.
Choose a door with mass appeal
This might go without saying, but it’s an important reminder—if the sole purpose of your investment is to increase home value with the intent to sell, you’ll want to focus on a style that is widely appealing.
Craftsman and modern style doors are currently quite popular, while the timeless, traditional look of a classic wood grain is always a strong choice. If you’re unsure of how each style differs, check out Plastpro’s Craftsman Series and Modern Series to see what might best complement your home’s architectural style, as well as Plastpro’s Oak Grain Series and Mahogany Series if you’re more interested in the classic, traditional style.
Attract smart buyers
Outside of the obvious benefit of curb appeal, installing a new front door can help put you ahead of the competition on the market. Smart buyers will often assess the condition of different aspects of a home to note what might need updating or replacing in the near future. Simply having a brand new front door can give you a selling point other homes might not have.
Choose a quality front door
While you might think you don’t need to spend much on a front door for the house you’re planning on selling, be careful not to underspend. Choosing the least expensive door on the market can send a similar message to buyers that a neglected front door can, especially if they know what to look for. If you choose a front door that’s drafty, flimsy, or tacky, it is unlikely to increase the value of your home much, if at all.
Keep in mind the average ROI for a new front door—you should get the majority of your investment back through your home’s increased value. The best value for your entryway is generally a fiberglass door, especially if you want to avoid as much upkeep as possible between updating and selling.
Fiberglass can offer the classic look of wood grains, but with less required maintenance to keep it looking new. Fiberglass is also superior in terms of soundproofing, insulation, and security, offering three additional selling points for prospective buyers.
Plastpro’s selection of fiberglass doors
If you’ve settled on replacing your front door to increase home value, Plastpro offers a variety of options to help you maximize ROI and boost the market value of your home. Plastpro’s HydroShield Technology encases the door with weatherproof material on all 6 sides and prevents warping, delamination, corrosion, rotting, and the buildup of mold and mildew that wood and steel doors are prone to. Combining this exterior with a high-density, polyurethane foam core makes our fiberglass doors secure, durable, and energy efficient. This level of performance is available in all our door series, ensuring you can get the style you want.
Try out Plastpro’s Doorability tool to see a new entry door or new door color on your house to find the best fit for your home’s style, or check out our Where to Buy page to find a dealer near you.
