Despite what you might think, improving a home’s curb appeal doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Check out these curb appeal ideas that successful real estate agents use to make their listings look great and sell faster on a budget. So rest assured: No matter what your budget is, there are ways to make your listing shine.
To help you boost your listing’s curb appeal, we worked with top-producing listing agents from Douglas Elliman and Ryan Serhant’s new brokerage SERHANT. to come up with the 29 best curb appeal ideas for every budget for 2022
Curb Appeal Ideas for $0 – $500
Can you improve curb appeal for $20? You sure can! Here are our top picks for curb appeal ideas between $20 and $500.
1. Create a Seating Area on the Porch
Estimated cost: Free – $500
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
One of the main goals of staging a property for sale is to help potential buyers imagine themselves living in the home. Adding a small seating area to a front porch can help them picture themselves enjoying a sunny day at their new home.
New York Real Estate Broker Rachel King from SERHANT. told us that creating an inviting seating area on the porch can accomplish two goals:
“Adirondack chairs or wooden benches are not only attractive, but also offer buyers an easy way to daydream about relaxing on the front porch after a hard day at work. If it’s a nice day, you can even invite them to sit down to have a chat on the porch when they’re done touring the home.”
Rachel King, SERHANT.
2. Use Lawn Paint to Make a Brown Lawn Green Again
Estimated cost: $150
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
“Green is the color of money, and if you want more for your property but have a dingy brown lawn, no problem—they now have lawn paint that a homeowner can spray on the lawn to green it up!”
Christopher Totaro, Warburg Realty
3. Add New House Numbers
Estimated cost: $20 – $75
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
New house numbers are an excellent and affordable way to boost curb appeal because it’s something buyers will look for when trying to find the listing. Installing stylish house numbers also shows that you pay attention to detail, which can only boost their confidence.
Whatever style house numbers you choose, just make sure they are prominent and easy to read from the street. Here’s Warburg Realty’s Rebecca Brooksher on why house numbers are so important:
“It’s not just the first impression, but the mood buyers are in when they arrive. If they are annoyed because they can’t find the address, you are off on the wrong foot before they’ve found parking.”
Rebecca Brooksher, Warburg Realty
4. Trim Overgrown Hedges & Trees
Estimated cost: Free – $250
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes, for trimming trees
Unless you’re going for a Grey Gardens look, trimming overgrown hedges, bushes, and trees is a must when trying to get top dollar for your listing. You can trim hedges on your own, but since tree trimming can be dangerous, make sure to hire a professional to handle overgrown trees.
5. Install Flower Boxes
Estimated cost: $50 – $200
Will you need to hire a contractor? Maybe
Flower boxes are a simple and affordable way to add a pop of color to the front of a home. Even better, flower boxes don’t always have to be filled with flowers. Depending on your local climate, you can plant ivy or succulents in flower boxes just as easily.
6. Paint or Stain the Front Door
Estimated cost: $50 – $100
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
While front doors have traditionally been painted dark colors, experimenting with brighter colors can have a significant impact on curb appeal. Look at the two doors in the picture above. They are the exact same door, but the pale blue door looks far more inviting.
Kelsey O’Connor told us painting your front door black might even help it sell for a higher price:
“Paint the front door black as it gives a timeless appeal. Zillow statistics say that homes with black front doors sell for 9.2% more than homes with other colored front doors.”
Kelsey O’Connor, SERHANT.
7. Upgrade Porch Lighting Fixtures
Estimated cost: $150 – $500
Will you need to hire a contractor? Maybe an electrician
After you’ve spruced up the front door, the next logical area to improve is the lighting. Even during the day, the right lighting fixtures can dramatically change the look and feel of your entryway.
8. Add Potted Plants, Cacti, or Small Trees
Estimated cost: $50 – $250
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
Potted plants are a great way to spruce up an entryway, stoop, or porch quickly, cheaply, and easily. All you need to do is move or purchase plants that will complement your entryway. In the image above, the homeowner chose interesting-looking cacti in order to bring even more drama to an already dramatic entryway.
9. Power Wash the Driveway & Walkways
Estimated cost: $50 – $350
Will you need to hire a contractor? Maybe
Blasting the dirt and grime from the driveway with a power washer is an especially satisfying way to improve curb appeal. If you’re dealing with older concrete, make sure to test a small area before committing to power washing the whole thing.
10. Fence in Garbage Cans & Central A/C Units
Estimated cost: $250 – $500
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; installing fencing is a job best left to the experts
There’s nothing worse than looking at someone else’s garbage. Of course, we hope you’ll convince your homeowner to not leave trash out, but what about the garbage cans? What about that big ugly A/C unit?
Instead of leaving it to chance, some cheap vinyl fencing pieces can cover up unsightly garbage cans and A/C units in a matter of minutes.
11. Paint Window & Door Trim
Estimated cost: $50 – $350
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
With a paintbrush, some enamel paint, and a drop cloth, you can add some contrast and panache to your listing by painting the trim on the doors and windows. Just remember that the taping and prep will always take longer than the painting!
12. Install a Bird Feeder
Estimated cost: $20 – $50
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
In addition to looking cute, bird feeders have the added bonus of attracting birds. Imagine you’re with a buyer and a hummingbird flutters by when you’re walking up to the front door.
13. Repaint or Restain the Porch
Estimated cost: $50 – $200
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
Painting, restaining, or sealing the front porch can also add a lot of curb appeal to your listing. Just remember to choose colors carefully. It helps to plan out the color theme for your door, trim, siding, and porch all at once before you start painting. A fresh coat of paint will also help hide imperfections in the wood.
14. Paint the Shutters
Estimated cost: $75 – $250
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
Shutters, even if they’re just decorative, are a great way to add contrast to the front of your listing. If the paint is worn or no longer works with your color scheme, sprucing them up can be a quick, easy way to make a significant improvement to your curb appeal.
15. Upgrade Your Door Hardware
Estimated cost: $75 – $250
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
Replacing cheap door knockers or door handles is another fun way to make a great first impression. Since the hardware is the focal point of most doors, cheap hardware can make even the nicest door look ugly.
16. Upgrade the Mailbox
Since they’re right out front and often have the house number on them, mailboxes are an easy fix to help improve curb appeal. You also don’t have to replace the whole thing. Sometimes you can just replace the box itself instead of the entire post.
17. Landscape Around the Mailbox
Estimated cost: $50 – $250
Will you need to hire a contractor? No
Replacing the mailbox is great, but if you genuinely want to impress your potential clients, pay special attention to the plantings around the mailbox. Just make sure they’re local and seasonally appropriate.
Curb Appeal Ideas for $500 – $1,500
Of course, spending a bit more than $500 will generally get you more dramatic results. Here are our top picks for curb appeal ideas from $500 to $1,500:
18. Cover Up Concrete Walkways With Natural Stone Tiles
Estimated cost: $500 – $1,200
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; installing tile outdoors is generally a job best left to the experts
Although replacing pavers can be prohibitively expensive, you may be surprised to learn that earthy, unique natural slate tiles are actually surprisingly affordable.
Tiles that are 12×12 can be had for less than $2 per square foot at Home Depot.
You can go all out and professionally replace a walkway like this example or just use them to create a garden pathway that looks a little nicer than cheap concrete pavers.
19. Have the Roof Professionally Cleaned
Estimated cost: $600 – $1,500
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; you can damage the roof by using pressure washers or the wrong chemicals
Before you have your homeowner spring for a new roof, talk to a local roof cleaning company to see if it can be cleaned. Just make sure to work with a professional roof cleaning company as power washers can actually damage some roofs.
20. Add Dramatic Lighting to Highlight Landscaping
Estimated cost: $500
Will you need to hire a contractor? Maybe.
Installing hard-wired lighting will require an electrician, but you can install affordable solar lights yourself.
Since your buyers might tour your home at dusk or in the evening and buyers often do night time “drive-bys” of homes they’re considering, adding dramatic lighting to highlight the landscaping can have a huge impact on after dark curb appeal.
Here’s New York Broker Rachel King on the specific lighting she recommends:
“I like gas lanterns. Although they can be pricey, they can add an inviting flickering effect and can stay on all the time. A less costly option is solar-powered spotlights.”
Rachel King, SERHANT.
21. Reseal or Replace Gravel in Driveway
Estimated cost: $500
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; resealing driveways is a job best left to the experts
Because it’s purely functional, many people overlook just how much front yard space a driveway takes up. If it’s in poor condition, that certainly doesn’t bode well for the rest of the house. A quick reseal or gravel delivery can reassure passersby that your listing is well maintained and ready to move into!
22. Install Decorative Window Shutters
Estimated cost: $500 – $1,500
Will you need to hire a contractor? Maybe
Although they are almost always purely decorative these days, adding window shutters is a great way to add character to a home. Pricing can vary pretty widely, and, of course, functional shutters will be far more expensive than decorative shutters.
Curb Appeal Ideas for $1,500+
If you’re trying to sell a listing in an upscale neighborhood or trying to get top dollar for a fixer-upper, then you’re going to have to increase your budget. Here are our top picks for curb appeal ideas for $1,500-plus.
23. Paint the Home’s Exterior
Estimated cost: $3,000+
Will you need to hire a contractor? Probably
Few things can change how a home looks from the street more dramatically than a fresh coat of paint! The only problem here is working with your homeowner to choose a color that will sell instead of repel.
24. Build an Arbor or Pergola to Highlight an Entryway
Estimated cost: $1,500+
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes
Here’s an excellent way to make a dramatic difference in the home’s curb appeal from Rachel King. Install an arbor or pergola to highlight an entryway. If you don’t know the difference between them, pergolas generally have flat tops and arbors are rounded. You can grow climbing plants and flowers on both for added appeal.
25. Replace the Roof
Estimated cost: $4,000+
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; replacing a roof is a job best left to the experts
Replacing the roof is a great way to boost curb appeal and increase the home’s value at the same time. You might not always make your money back, but the house will look great, and you will be able to mention the “brand-new roof!” in the listing description—a win in any agent’s book.
Here’s Noemi Bitterman on the value-add of replacing a roof:
“Although this is a big expense, it will ultimately help your home sell better and quicker. If your roof needs replacement, make the investment.”
Noemi Bitterman, Compass Realty
26. Replace Front Doors or Windows
Estimated cost: $1,500+
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; replacing windows and doors is a job best left to the experts
If you need to make a dramatic change, replacing the front door, sidelights, and front windows is the way to go. You’ll not only give your home’s focal point a fresh new look, but you’ll increase the light inside as well.
27. Replace Outdated Siding
Estimated cost: $1,500+
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; replacing siding is a job best left to the experts
Siding is like fashion. For some reason, it starts to look dated quicker than last year’s iPhone. Even better, some brick homes in cities were covered up with nasty vinyl siding in the 1980s. If you have a listing like this, tearing it off and repointing the brick just might help you get a better offer.
28. Upgrade the Garage Door
Estimated cost: $1,500+
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; replacing a garage door is a job best left to the experts, and working on garage door mechanisms can be dangerous
Since many homes have large garage doors these days, replacing an outdated garage door with something nicer can have a decent return on investment (ROI) and help improve curb appeal. Check out the before-and-after pictures above to see what I mean.
29. Add a Natural Stone Retaining Wall
Estimated cost: $3,000+
Will you need to hire a contractor? Yes; installing a natural stone retaining wall is a job best left to the experts
If you want to add some old-world charm to the front of the home, a natural stone retaining wall is a great way to do it. They’re not cheap, but if you’re serious about selling your home or just want to invest in something beautiful for when you do sell, a natural stone retaining wall would be a classic choice.
“Stone walls are not only beautiful but also add protection and privacy to the property.”
Rachel King, SERHANT.
Over to You
Have some unique curb appeal ideas that we’ve missed? What about a success story about getting a better price for your listing after making simple improvements to its exterior? Let us know in the comments.
