4 Things That Will Increase Your Curb Appeal (and 5 to Avoid)

It’s likely that you’ve heard the term “curb appeal” while watching home renovation shows. It’s the first impression that a passerby receives of a home’s exterior, and it usually reflects the homeowner’s regular upkeep.

Often, this can surpass the nice paint job on the front door or the carefully cut shrubs, and it has more to do with how the curb appeal of one home has a larger impact beyond its yard. While surveying over 1,000 homeowners across the country, Thumbtack and Nextdoor collaborated to learn more about how curb appeal can affect neighborhoods, increase your home value, and could cause a potential rift between neighbors. Here are what survey respondents agree increases and decreases your curb appeal.

82% of survey respondents agree that landscaping is the best way to improve your curb appeal.

78% said that painting the exterior of the home will increase curb appeal.

77% of homeowners mentioned that a maintained lawn can boost their curb appeal.

If you have beautiful windows, 68% of surveyed homeowners agree that it will improve curb appeal.

One of the biggest things that will decrease your curb appeal is trash: 81% agree that litter in the yard is most likely lowering your curb appeal.

81% of survey respondents agree that a lawn in need of a trim/cut is going to decrease a home’s curb appeal.

If you have extra cars, RVs, boats, or vans parked in the front yard, 64% agree that this is unappealing for a home.

A fence in need of a refresh or paint job (along with other exterior projects) has a 58% chance of lowering your curb appeal.

If the exterior of your home seems to be unclean or covered in old paint, 57% of surveyed homeowners say that it will decrease your curb appeal.

Regardless of the work, 98% of homeowners agreed that good curb appeal is a necessity, especially when you’re searching for a new place or selling your current home. Roughly 54% of homeowners were influenced by their neighborhood or street’s curb appeal, which leads prospective homeowners to find neighborhoods that are good for exercising, dining out, spending time with loved ones, or walking their dog.

About 57% of surveyed homeowners said that an appealing exterior increases the home’s value by at least $20,000, and 16% responded by saying that the impact is over $50,000. According to the study, homeowners are more likely to see a house with high curb appeal as 34% more valuable than the same home with poor curb appeal.

According to Heidi Andersen, the head of revenue at Nextdoor, curb appeal also reflects the community and neighborhood. “Strong curb appeal demonstrates a deep investment in a neighborhood. It elevates the sense of community pride and fosters a welcoming atmosphere for residents and visitors alike,” she said. “For many neighbors, the neighborhood is a gathering place, a central hub, and, most importantly, a place they come to for genuine connections, support, and shared experiences among its residents. Every day, neighbors everywhere are transforming houses into homes and streets into welcoming avenues for their communities.”

Although the mindset of maintaining your curb appeal may be intimidating, it may alleviate the stress of pleasing your neighbors and avoiding the gossip of having an unappealing home. The survey revealed that a majority of the respondents have opinions about their neighbors’ properties and even mentioned that half of the homeowners shared there’s at least one neighbor in the vicinity with an “eyesore property.” See the full survey results from Thumbtack and Nextdoor here.