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Curb appeal significantly influences people’s perception of a house’s desirability. The prettier a property appears from the street, the greater its perceived value. However, cost recovery figures fluctuate as trends and homebuyer sentiments change, and inflation is almost always a concern.
For these reasons, it is usually unwise to splurge on improvements you will not use and enjoy. Focus on these seven projects to yield the highest returns within specific time frames.
1. Steel entry door installation
The front door carries less visual weight compared to other home exterior elements, but the eyes gravitate toward it. It is an impactful accent that can turn a garden-variety façade into the envy of the neighborhood.
Just sprucing up your house’s entry will not suffice, as more homebuyers care about security as much as aesthetics. According to the Journal of Light Construction’s 2025 Cost vs. Value report, a 20-gauge steel front door recoups 216% of its cost at resale. Homebuyers are willing to pay a premium for steel doors because they are durable enough to resist forced entry attempts.
2. Insulated garage door replacement
Modernizing your garage doors with burglar-proofing and energy efficiency in mind can increase your property’s marketability and convince homebuyers to overpay. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report reveals that this project recorded an average ROI of 268% across 119 markets.
In New England, insulated garage doors made of high-tensile-strength steel on heavy-duty galvanized steel tracks had an average return of 349.3%. In other regions, home sellers received at least twice their money back. These figures sustain the trend favouring steel exterior doors, which started in 2023. They should stay in fashion as long as home buyers value home security and sustainability.
3. Manufactured stone veneer upgrade
Manufactured stone is a cost-effective, decorative cladding that elevates the appearance of conventional siding. This exterior lends more character to street-facing facades, accentuating entry archways and making them look fancy without spending a fortune.
Replacing 300 sq.-ft. of siding with an adhered manufactured stone veneer would still cost five figures, but it would yield a twofold return. In dollar terms, this job resulted in the highest spike in home value out of the 28 remodelling projects the Journal of Light Construction examined. The homeowners who tackled this upgrade initially spent $11,702 and received $24,328 for it at resale, walking away with $12,626.
4. Hardscaping facelift
Houses with impressive curb appeal have well-thought-out hardscaping. Repaving an unsightly driveway or replacing old brickwork can boost your property’s overall value by up to 7% in a neighbourhood with similar homes with poor curb appeal, or by 14% in a slower market. These figures come from sales data on about 90,000 properties and images from Google Street View — a decent sample size to compel you to update your front yard’s non-vegetated sections.
Many homeowners buy stylish water features to add a calming effect to their front yards. While the sounds of flowing water can be soothing, fountains, birdbaths and waterfalls are not universally popular. Some homebuyers may find them impractical and devalue them in negotiations. Wide, low-maintenance pathways and driveways with proper drainage are safer options.
5. Yard tree maintenance
Tree care is a low-cost improvement that can improve people’s opinions about your house. Lush trees provide shade, make the adjacent indoor and outdoor spaces feel cooler, and filter out pollutants.
Trimming and pruning can keep your trees neat and healthy. Cut their branches or limbs to control overgrowth, keep them symmetrical, ensure dead foliage falls on the ground, and preserve your roofing system’s structural integrity. Hire an arborist to prune insect-infested, diseased, or dead branches efficiently and safely.
Tree relocation or removal may cost more, so think twice about doing either. Consult a real estate agent to determine whether the potential property appreciation justifies the expense.
6. Outdoor lighting addition
The usefulness of well-placed lights goes beyond illumination. They promote safety, deter prowlers, underscore your house’s architectural focal points, downplay its perceived eyesores and introduce drama at night.
Less is more, quantity- and intensity-wise. Outdoor fixtures with softer lighting in strategic locations are more arresting. From an aesthetic point of view, the shadows artificial lights create are as important as the areas they illuminate.
7. Neutral-coloured home exterior paint job
Houses painted with neutral colours can appeal to more homebuyers. These hues allow the most visually dominant home exterior elements — the roofing and siding — to recede in the background and let accents shine.
White, light gray and cool beige are excellent choices. Consider the palette instead of the individual hues, as everything should coexist harmoniously. Select the paint colour based on the appearance of permanent features, including the roof, hardscape and front yard.
Think about how grand your property looks from the street. Brighter colours create an illusion of size because they reflect more light, whereas darker ones produce the opposite effect. Light-coloured paint can make a smaller house appear bigger and more desirable.
Boost home value with curb appeal improvements
Curb appeal may not be the be-all and end-all of property appreciation, but it is instrumental in driving up your home’s value before selling. Concentrate on the most impactful projects that cost the least and list your property sooner rather than later to prevent inflation from eroding your potential gains. By doing only the most essential, value-adding upgrades, you can help your property catch more eyes on the market.