First Impressions

The other day, when I was dropping a letter though a door, it reminded me of just how important first impressions are.

We often say that first impressions matter. Whether it’s a job interview, meeting the boyfriend or girlfriend’s parents for the first time or something more tangible like selling a second-hand item, we want to create a good impression. We clean and polish, have a wash and brush-up and put on smart clothes. We want do our best to sell ‘it’, or us. However, when it comes to creating a good first impression when selling our house we can sometimes be neglectful.

Living in our houses on a day-to-day basis we can be oblivious as to how something might appear to others. I am often dropping letters off by hand and it is fair to say that at least half the front doors and porches that I encounter are pretty shabby. A bit harsh perhaps and I am reminded that this very much includes ours. Not many houses have brass knockers and letter boxes these days, but I can remember my granny, dressed in her pink check pinny, polishing the brass and washing down the front door more or less every day. Presentation really mattered to her – heaven forbid anyone should call round and see tarnished brass adorning her front door.

If you are thinking about selling, stand back and have a look at the front door. Could it do with a proper clean and some TLC ? Is it worth painting or even replacing? In our opinion, it is an exercise worth taking the trouble over in order create that vital good first impression.

Jon Rich
Brearley & Rich