There are many easy ways to increase home value

(WMS) — New research proves what real estate experts have long suggested: A more attractive front entrance can considerably increase the perceived value of a home.

The National Home Valuation Study was commissioned by door manufacturer Therma-Tru Doors and conducted by independent market research firm NFO WorldGroup. Study results indicated that an enhanced entryway can add as much as $24,000 to a home's perceived value.

Jerry Oleshansky, vice president of sales and marketing for Therma-Tru Doors, says the study shows how important the front entryway is to a potential homebuyer's first impression.

“Real estate agents, builders and home buyers have always believed that a beautiful front entrance adds to the value of a home,” Oleshansky says. “Now we have the facts to prove it.”

NFO WorldGroup conducted the study using an online survey. Two groups of more than 1,000 recent homebuyers each looked at images of homes and were asked to estimate how much each one would cost, based on its appearance. Neither group knew the study was about doors, and were given no hints as to how to arrive at the number.

The study used three test homes. The first group looked at homes with six-panel doors. The second group saw the same homes upgraded with Therma-Tru Classic-Craft fiberglass entry systems, which included decorative glass, sidelites and a transom.

Mid-priced homes benefit, too

A follow-up to the study used a home in the under-$200,000 price range.

“Builders asked us whether these findings would hold for moderately priced homes,” says Oleshansky. “For a home valued at $189,300, an upgrade to a Therma-Tru Fiber-Classic entry system added $7,720, or 4.1 percent, to the home's value.”

Oleshansky says these findings have important benefits for homeowners and remodelers.

"These findings suggest that a new entry door system can add considerable value to an existing home, at a lower cost than many other remodeling projects." A survey in Remodeling magazine found that most improvements yield a return of less than 90 cents on the dollar in terms of the home's market value, and cost much more than a new entry door system. According to the National Home Valuation Study, an upgraded entryway yields four to five times the investment.

For more information on Therma-Tru Doors, visit www.thermatru.com.