I Took a 6-Year-Old House Hunting. What She Said Before We Even Got to the Front Door Is Pure Gold
I Took a 6-Year-Old House Hunting. What She Said Before We Even Got to the Front Door Is Pure Gold
Kids have a superpower most adults lose: they tell the truth without a filter.
Over the past several weeks, I've been showing homes with a six-year-old by my side. She doesn't know anything about interest rates, pricing strategies, market trends or the Tulsa housing market. But what she noticed, immediately and instinctively, is exactly what most buyers feel long before they ever step inside a home.
And here's the kicker: she formed her opinions before we even walked through the front door.
After touring multiple homes, a pattern emerged. One that sellers desperately need to pay attention to if they want their home to sell fast and for top dollar.
Because here's what nobody tells you: buyers (and their kids) start deciding the moment they pull up to your curb. Not when they see the kitchen. Not when they walk through the master bedroom.
The second they see your house from the street.
Exterior impressions matter more than we think
And buyers, including their children, start deciding before they ever cross the threshold. See our free checklist for preparing your home at the end of this blog post.
First impressions start at the curb
From the moment we pulled up to each house, her attention was already engaged. She noticed the driveway. The yard. The front door. Whether the house felt “happy,” “busy,” or “kind of messy.” She also noticed the colors!
She didn’t use real estate language, but her reactions were clear.
If the yard felt overgrown or cluttered, she hesitated.
If the front entry felt welcoming, she got excited.
This mirrors what buyer psychology has shown for years: https://onest.realestate/blog/The-Psychology-of-First-Impressions--What-Your-Home-Tells-Buyers-in-the-First-90-Seconds confirms, first impressions happen fast. In real estate, curb appeal is not a bonus it’s a filter. Buyers begin forming emotional opinions within seconds of arrival, and those feelings are hard to reverse once they take hold.
For sellers, this is important to understand. You don’t get a “reset” once buyers walk inside. Their mindset is already forming.
Home Care Builds Buyer Confidence
One of the biggest takeaways from walking up to these homes was how quickly a sense of care, or lack of it, was communicated.
A swept porch.
A clean entry.
A front door that looks intentional.
Those small details quietly signal to buyers that a home has been loved and maintained. When those elements are missing, buyers subconsciously start asking bigger questions.
If the outside feels neglected, what else might be? One of the homes we toured had SO MANY sticky balls (that is what my grandson calls them) in the yard my client twisted her ankle walking to the car. We realize the yard can’t be cleaned every day but once a week is a MUST when your home is on the market! Legacy Circle of Trust has resources for that if you need them!
Buyers don't expect perfection. They read signals. The effort placed into preparing and cleaning your home reassures them. That reassurance builds trust.
Clutter Outside Creates Hesitation Inside
At one home, before we ever made it to the front door, my six-year-old paused and said something simple but telling.
“This one looks like it would take a long time.”
She was referring to visible clutter outside…items stacked near the entry, toys in the yard, general overflow. What she was really expressing was mental friction.
Buyers don’t consciously think, “This home will be harder to move into.”
They feel it.
Exterior clutter makes a home feel like a project before buyers even step inside. And projects slow momentum.
Decluttering the exterior is one of the easiest, lowest-cost ways to remove friction and invite buyers forward both physically and emotionally.
You're Blind to Your Own Home's Flaws (And It's Not Your Fault)
You stopped seeing your house about six months after you moved in.
That's not an insult. It's neuroscience.
Your brain is wired to filter out familiar things. It's why you don't notice your breathing until someone mentions it. Why you stop hearing the hum of your refrigerator. Why that pile of stuff by the front door became invisible somewhere around month three.
Familiarity doesn't just breed contempt. It breeds blindness.
You physically cannot see your home's exterior the way a buyer sees it. Your brain won't let you. Those flaws you walk past every day? They might as well not exist to you.
But to a buyer pulling up for the first time? They're the first thing they see.
This is why a six-year-old's reaction is so valuable. She has no history with your house. No emotional attachment. No excuses for why the yard looks that way or why the front porch has become storage.
She just sees what's there.
And what she sees is exactly what buyers see but won't tell you.
When she hesitates at a cluttered exterior, that's a buyer mentally moving on to the next listing. When she gets excited at a clean, welcoming entrance, that's a buyer already imagining themselves living there.
Kids are brutally honest because they don't know they're supposed to be polite yet.
And that brutal honesty? That's the wake-up call every seller needs before they list.
You can't fix what you can't see. And right now, you literally cannot see what buyers see.
That's the problem. And that's exactly why you need fresh eyes before you ever put that sign in the yard.
Selling a home is a family decision
This experience reinforced something I’ve seen time and time again in real estate: selling a home is rarely just a financial decision.
It’s a family decision.
Children may not sign contracts, but they absolutely influence how a home feels to the people considering it. If a child can imagine themselves walking up to the house, playing in the yard, or feeling excited at the front door, that emotion carries weight.
Homes that invite imagination move faster.
Homes that feel heavy take longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How important is curb appeal when selling a house?
Curb appeal is critical because buyers form their first impression within seconds of arrival.
Curb appeal is really important when selling your home. It's not just something nice to have. It's the thing that makes buyers feel excited or worried before they even walk inside. Studies show that first impressions happen in just 90 seconds, and most of that time happens outside your front door. When buyers pull up to your house, they're already deciding if they can picture themselves living there. A yard that looks cared for tells buyers that you've taken good care of the whole house. This makes them trust you more. But if the outside looks messy or overgrown, buyers start to wonder what problems might be hiding inside. That worried feeling is really hard to change once it starts.
What should I do to my front yard before listing my home?
Declutter, maintain landscaping weekly, and create a clean, welcoming entrance.
Start by removing anything that makes your yard look messy. This means picking up toys, tools, or boxes from the yard and porch. Keep your grass cut and bushes trimmed at least once a week while your home is for sale. Even small things matter, like sweeping away leaves or sticky seed pods from the walkway. Make your front door area look nice and welcoming. You can sweep the porch, put out a clean mat, or add a simple potted plant by the door. These changes don't cost much money. But they tell buyers something important. They show that you've loved and cared for your home. Buyers want to feel good about their choice, and a neat exterior is one of the easiest ways to help them feel confident.
Why can't I see the problems with my home's exterior?
Your brain filters out familiar details, making you blind to flaws you see every day.
This happens to everyone. It's not because you're being careless. Your brain is actually designed to work this way. After you've lived somewhere for a few months, your brain starts to ignore things you see all the time. This helps save mental energy. It's the same reason you don't think about your breathing until someone talks about it. That pile of stuff by your front door has become invisible to you, but buyers notice it right away when they drive up. This is why getting fresh eyes on your home is so helpful before you list it. You need someone who can see what you can't anymore. This could be a real estate agent, a friend, or even a child who visits your home. You can't fix problems you don't see. Right now, you're simply not seeing what buyers see when they look at your house.
3–2–1: What Sellers Can Take From a Child’s Perspective
3 things buyers notice before they ever walk inside
How the home feels from the street - cared for or neglected
Whether the exterior feels overwhelming or inviting
If they can imagine arriving home there every day
2 simple ways sellers can improve first impressions
Declutter and simplify exterior spaces so buyers aren’t distracted
Create a welcoming entry with small touches that signal care and intention
1 question worth asking
What story is my home telling someone before they ever step through the front door?
A seller takeaway worth remembering if you plan to sell your home
If you’re considering selling your home spring, here’s the question worth asking:
What does my home say to someone before they ever walk inside?
Not what you intend it to say but what it actually communicates.
This is where a thoughtful pre-listing strategy matters. At www.lrahomes.com we guide sellers through this process intentionally helping them see their homes through fresh eyes so buyers can do the same. We have a home sellers guide we would love to share with you! Message us today for one!
This is the first in a February series exploring home selling through the smallest person’s perspective. Each week, we’ll look at a different part of the home and what buyers, including their children, notice most:
Exterior and first impressions
Common living spaces and staging
Bathrooms and overlooked details
Bedrooms and emotional connection
Together, these insights help sellers prepare not just strategically but thoughtfully.
Thinking about selling this year?
If you’re preparing to sell and want guidance on how buyers experience your home from the very first moment, I’d love to help. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective to unlock your home’s full potential.
Related Resources:
Blog Post: Pricing It Right the First Time
National Association of Realtors — Home Staging Insights - Research and Statistics
We are looking forward to connecting with you today!!! Contact Jennifer Mount at [email protected]
