71% of Homeowners Admit to Judging Their Neighbors for This Easy-to-Fix Yard Issue

Thou shalt love thy neighbor…unless that neighbor’s home exterior needs a paint job and a good weed whacking. Thumbtack recently teamed up with Nextdoor to survey more than 1,000 homeowners across the country to find out how much they value curb appeal and how it affects their neighborhoods (and neighborly relationships). Seventy-one percent of respondents claimed having terrible curb appeal would impact their relationship with a neighbor in at least one major way. 

So you leave your trash cans at the end of the driveway for one day too long. Will everyone on your street detest you for it? Probably not. According to the report, the biggest curb appeal faux pas are trash in the yard; an overgrown lawn; parking old cars, RVs, vans, or boats out front; and a home’s exterior needing a wash or paint job. Luckily, aside from finding another place to park any extra joy rides, all of these no-no’s can be easily addressed. Thumbtack’s data reveals it’ll cost you only $5,000 for a light curb appeal boost. Here are a few of those key updates it suggests for getting on everyone’s good side: 

Replace the Front Door

Is the focal point of your facade dragging everything down? Consider swapping your door for a new one, which will cost you an average $473 according to Thumbtack. When Australian designers Daniel To and Emma Aiston renovated their 1910 house, they enlarged the opening to make way for a supersize sunny yellow entrance that screams “happy to be here.” 

Trim Back Shrubs and Plant Flowers

Regular mowing is only one step toward a manicured yard. Give your boxwoods and azaleas that just-planted look by cutting any growth you don’t want, focusing on the inner limbs that need air and sunlight to thrive, like designer Luke Havekes did at his cozy cottage. Once you’ve got a handle on that, introduce new flowers (an average of $667). 

Add Outdoor Lighting and Stain the Deck

If you’re willing to invest a little more, make your house shine by installing sconces on either side of your door or a pendant light on the porch (approximately $947). A sleek-looking deck that’s either stained or painted will run you around the same cost, and when in doubt, stick to a simple black and white combo like Cassie Winslow’s dreamy Sacramento home.