Easy Ways to Make Your Front Entrance More Inviting

Dusty Rhodes • September 24, 2019

Do you come home and just feel so uneasy walking to the front door? Feel like it just isn't welcoming enough, or maybe could just do better? Everyone wants their home to feel inviting for their friends and family, no matter if it's a townhome in the city, or a ranch house in the suburbs. And making it feel that way doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. From HouseLogic, here are 11 ways to make that entry more inviting, on a budget:


1.  Grab the shears. The path leading to the door typically should be at least 3 feet wide to allow people to walk next to each other without obstructions to the view of the door and without trip hazards. If you have any plants that are overgrowing into the walkway, make sure to cut them back. If you have any weeks growing in your sidewalk, you can also help prevent them growing back by killing them with some weed spray and then filling the cracks between the cement with Liquid Cement Crack Filler, which you can find at any hardware store near you for under $10 and it lasts a long time.


2.  Light it up! Help your guests, and also yourself, to find their way at night. Invest in some solar powered LED lights that you can stick in the ground. They don't require you to wire them, and you don't need to keep buying and replacing batteries. You can find them online with 8 packs for under $60.


3. Get out the paintbrush. Let your creative side out and paint your front door. High gloss colors are especially popular in scenes like London's townhomes. If you're looking for more inspiration, check out our Pinterest board for plenty of ideas.


4.  Add a glass door. If your door is already glass but you're looking to add some more privacy, hardware stores as well as online stores carry films that can let in plenty of light while still providing privacy AND character alike. You can even find some that are a stained glass style. Depending on the size of the panel, the style, and even the brand, on average they can cost around $30, and they're removable in case you change your taste.


5.  Get new locks. Sometimes something as simple as new hardware can really elevate the look of an entryway. And they can cost as little as $50-60 at your local hardware store.


6.  Add a door-knocker. They may be old-school, especially in an era of doorbell cameras, but they always add a touch of class.


7. Plant some evergreens. Boxwoods are a great choice because they take little effort to keep up. They can cost around $25 at hardware stores and garden centers. If you're in a cold climate, though, make sure they pots you keep them in a frost-proof.


8. Go bold with your address. Sometimes your house number may be a little hard to see, depending on the time of day. But if they're generally hard to see all the time, you'll know when your friends or even the pizza delivery guy have trouble finding your house. A quick and easy fix is some stick-on vinyl numbers. They come in different styles and fonts, and they can cost as low as only $4 a number.


9.  Update/Add a doromat. If you really want something to say "Welcome" nothing says it more than a doormat - and sometimes literally! They're great for adding more personal touches, especially if you're a humorous soul, and they're perfect for keeping out any residual dirt. You can find them at the hardware store, and even discount stores, for less than $20. If you're willing to splurge just a little, you can also find fancier varieties for under $50.


10.  Check your porch lights. Maybe the bulbs just need to be replaced, maybe the fixture needs cleaning, or maybe it needs replacing all-together. Either way, looking for keys in the dark isn't fun, and you don't want your guests feeling uncomfortable at a dark entryway. If you find you need to replace the whole fixture even after cleaning it, you can find new ones for well below $100.


11. How does your mailbox look? Sometimes they just need a lick of paint, and sometimes they're falling apart. You can take the opportunity to add some creativity and character with either one of these options. As long as your mail carrier can get to it easily, you can try a lot of options. If you're looking for inspiration, we have a Pinterest board for that too! Just make sure that if you live in a neighborhood with an HOA that you follow their guidelines - wouldn't want to pay to have to change it again.


If you're looking for other ideas for around the house updates, or inspiration for future home designs, be sure to keep browsing our Pinterest for plenty of ideas!


Dusty Rhodes Properties is the Best Realtor in Myrtle Beach! We do everything in our power to help you find the home of your dreams. With experience, expertise, and passion, we are the perfect partner for you in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We love what we do and it shows. With more than 22 years of experience in the field, we know our industry like the back of our hands. There’s no challenge too big or too small, and we dedicate our utmost energy to every project we take on. We search thousands of the active and new listings from Aynor, Carolina Forest, Conway, Garden City Beach, Longs, Loris, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, and Surfside Beach real estate listings to find the hottest deals just for you!

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How To Make Sure Your Sale Crosses the Finish Line

By Dusty Rhodes • November 10, 2025
If there was one simple step that could help make your home sale a seamless process, wouldn’t you want to know about it? There’s a lot that happens from the time your house goes under contract to closing day. And a few things still have to go right for the deal to go through. But here’s what a lot of sellers may not know. There’s one part of the process where some homeowners are hitting a road bump that’s causing buyers to back out these days. But don’t worry. The majority of these snags are completely avoidable, especially when you understand what’s causing them and how to be proactive. That’s where a great agent (and a little prep) can make all the difference. What’s Causing Some Buyers To Back Out The latest data from Redfin says 15% of pending home sales are falling through . And that’s not wildly higher than the 12% norm from 2017-2019. But it is an increase. That means roughly 1 in 7 deals today don’t make it to the closing table. But, at the same time, 6 out of 7 do. So, the majority of sellers never face this problem – and odds are, you won’t either. But you can help make it even less likely if you know how to get ahead. You might assume the main reason buyers are backing out today is financing. But that’s actually not the case. The most common deal breaker today, by far, is inspection and repair issues (see graph below):

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By Dusty Rhodes • November 3, 2025
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How to Move Out After Selling a House

By Dusty Rhodes • October 13, 2025
From the first coat of paint you used to freshen up your house’s trim to the stress of wrangling your way to a deal, you’ve been through a lot in that place. Now you’ve made it to the final hurdle of selling a home: moving out! Don’t worry, this is the easy part… but you want to do it right. Here’s how to get through the last leg of your journey without any bumps along the way. How to move out on time Once the paperwork is signed at closing, the buyers will officially own the house—and you won’t. That means that, technically, if you or your stuff is still there after the close, “the buyer could evict you,” says Joshua Jarvis , founder of Jarvis Team Realty in Duluth, GA. So make sure to have your exit strategy in place! Still, most buyers will understand if you need a bit more time and have a legitimate reason—like if you can’t move until the weekend due to your work schedule. Just be sure to discuss these issues as soon as possible before the close, so your buyers can plan accordingly. Decide what to leave behind To make sure you’re leaving behind everything the buyer wanted—and that you agreed to—double-check the closing documents . There should be an itemized list of what comes with the house . And even if the buyers didn’t formally request them, it’s just good form to leave certain types of things behind. Such as? “Generally speaking, you should leave anything that’s bolted to the wall,” says Jarvis. “Some homeowners want to take their fans and blinds to the next home, but generally if it’s screwed in, it stays.” Also, if you and the buyers agreed to transfer any services—such as alarm monitoring or pest control —be sure to set that up before you go. Leave the buyers a detailed note in the house, or ask your agent to get in touch with theirs to make sure the transfer goes smoothly. If you do inadvertently take an item that the buyers had requested, they have the right to ask for it back—and they could potentially sue you in civil court for the cost of a replacement. So, when in doubt, feel free to check with the buyers before you grab and go. But don’t leave anything else behind Just as important as what you leave behind is what you don’t. Your buyers have a right to move into a home that’s been cleared of furniture and other movable items they didn’t expressly request. “Some folks leave all kinds of unwanted clothes, furniture, paint cans, and other items, thinking they are helping the buyers,” Jarvis says. If you truly think your buyers might love to have your old planting pots or kiddie equipment, go ahead and ask—but please don’t assume they’ll welcome your leftovers. Even if you’re careful, you might forget something—at which point the buyers may contact their agent to get it back to you, but they also have the legal right to just keep or get rid of it. So double-check areas (e.g., the attic, garage, basement, storage shed, kitchen, and bathroom drawers) where people commonly overlook items. Clean up It’s common courtesy to leave the place not only clear of your possessions but also clean. However, that doesn’t mean you have to leave it immaculate. “Generally, you shouldn’t have to pay to have it deep cleaned,” Jarvis says. In most cases, a simple broom-clean will do. That means wiping down the countertops, cleaning out drawers, sweeping or vacuuming all the floors, and giving the bathroom and kitchen appliances a once-over so the new owners aren’t grossed out when they arrive. Are you forgetting anything? Before you close the door for the last time, run through a quick checklist. Did you eyeball every room for stray items? Have you forwarded your mail and turned off the utilities? Is the water running in the jacuzzi? We all get in a bit of a rush even in the best planned moves, but you won’t be able to get back in, so it can’t hurt to do a final run-through before you move out. Once you’re ready, it’s time to leave. You can drop a line to your real estate agent to let them know you’re out, although it’s usually a courtesy more than a necessity. If you’re feeling truly gracious, feel free to leave a note, card, or bottle of bubbly congratulating the people who’ve inherited your former home. Given all the fond memories you’ve built between those walls, wouldn’t it be nice to start the home’s new owners off on the right foot? And buy yourself some Champagne, too. Make it the good stuff—you’ve earned it.