Hi, Lori!

I’m a Realtor® in North Carolina and have a ranch-style listing with a very odd issue.  The house almost looks like it has two front doors and I think it’s been confusing potential buyers.  Technically, the door next to the attached garage goes into the mudroom, but it’s nearly identical to the REAL front door in very close proximity!  We’ve already gotten some negative feedback about it as they don’t seem to know which door to choose.  Short of closing up the mudroom door and re-siding, any suggestions?

Charlotte Realtor® in Need of a Fix

Dear Charlotte Realtor® –

While definitely odd, it’s a lot more common than you think.  I’ve dealt with this exact same dilemma many, many times over the years.  Most of these ‘duplicate front door’ offenders have likewise been on ranch-style homes or ranch-splits.

That said and looking at the photos you’ve provided (sorry we can’t post the actual pictures of the listing for our readers) I think in this case, the problem is the way they’re dressed.  Both doors are painted glossy red!  Teamed with the glossy red garage doors, I can definitely see where the confusion comes in.

By leaving only the front door red and painting the mudroom entry and garage doors the same charcoal gray as the siding in a matte or satin finish to match, they will blend into the background and the front entry will definitely stand out!

You can take that a step further by adding a couple of large, lush floral planters next to the steps on either side of the door, perhaps a shiny new kick-plate, house numbers, and even a new welcome mat and there will be absolutely no doubt!

Hope this helps and fingers crossed this solves it for you.

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