Never has it been more important for a home to make a good first impression. Whether a buyer is scoping out a listing online or viewing it in person, curb appeal has always been the selling point encouraged by listing agents.
But the approach will significantly change in the coming year, as buyers are leaning toward different wants and desires when choosing a new place to live.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate released its 2026 Design Trends Real Estate Report, which included a detailed analysis of what matters most to today's homebuyers. One of their top points?
The importance of curb appeal cannot be overstated
"Homeownership remains one of life's most monumental transactions, and today's buyers are approaching that life goal with new expectations," said Ginger Wilcox, president of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC.
"High barriers to entry have created a generation of buyers who know what they want and won't settle for less.”
With that in mind, the BHGRE report consulted with their affiliated agents, who shared that buyers in 2026 will likely overlook properties that don’t meet certain exterior criteria.
The phrase they use is “quiet confidence,” referring to homes that look “balanced, clean, and well cared for” and are likely to sell faster than older, fixer-upper properties.
“Curb appeal has always been important, but more so going into the 2026 season,” explains Cara Ameer, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in Los Angeles and Florida.
“If you are selling your home, you have more obstacles that you are up against than in previous years. And, if you are in an area that is competing with new construction, you have to really double down on making sure your home is in top-notch condition inside and out.”
While maintaining a tidy exterior has always been encouraged by real estate professionals, the advice moving forward is to keep the home looking effortlessly maintained.
This particularly applies to landscaping. Native plantings, permeable walkways, and shaded seating areas were highlighted in the report as features that will appeal to next year’s buyers.
Low maintenance and environmental mindfulness also extend to the overall landscaping design. Gone are the days of overstuffed flower beds or an abundance of greenery and trees that require vigilant upkeep. Simplicity is the name of the game.
“Buyers are drawn to smaller, clean-lined plantings that frame the home and that are easy to take care of. The kinds of plants really depend on the climate,” Ameer adds. “For example, in California, drought-resistant plants are in high demand, whereas in my other market of Florida, those wouldn't do so well because of all the rain. There, people like plants that thrive on water and have pretty blooms.”
Given that the average first-time buyer is now 40, many of whom are balancing families in their sandwich-generation years, it makes sense that a low-maintenance home would hold strong appeal.
The real appeal: Living outside of your home
More than three-quarters of BHGRE-affiliated agents say outdoor extensions make the biggest difference in how “livable” a home feels, according to the report.
Porches and patios with cozy seating not only look inviting, but they are also perceived as extra living space, which can be crucial for small properties or larger homes marketed as multigenerational.
“People want to be able to relax outside and have the creature comforts of the inside, outside,” Eric Udler, longtime producer of the New Jersey Home & Garden Show, explains.
Udler notes that outdoor kitchen exhibitors are doing “more and more business” than ever before at his show, but having that “welcome home” feeling upon arrival is equally important.
"Porches are definitely in now," says Diana Hathaway, interior designer and author of Sell Your Home Without Losing Your Zen, to Realtor.com®.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development shows that the number of new builds with porches has been rising, with 67.7% of new homes including a porch in 2023, compared with 63% a decade earlier.
The best way to boost curb appeal
If simplified landscaping or a revamped porch isn’t in your budget, there’s one tried-and-true way to boost curb appeal that will still attract buyers next year: painting your front door.
This quick refresh can bring new life to your entryway. The caveat is that you may have to wait for the right time to paint.
According to Andre Kazimierski, CEO of Improovy Painters Denver, temperature and weather can affect how paint adheres to a surface.
“Typically, your paint will list the optimal temperature range for a good coat,” he explains. “General advice tends to be between 50 and 70 degrees, although 40 to 90 degrees will work as well.”
At the end of the day, if you’re looking to sell your home in 2026, be ready to put in the work.
“Buyers will continue to want turnkey and move-in-ready as much as possible," Ameer says.
“Given high housing costs and interest rates, many buyers simply don’t have the bandwidth or want to take on a home that needs a lot of work, and if it looks like a lot of deferred maintenance on the outside, they will simply move on to other homes.”
Article by Dina Sartore-Bodo for Realtor.com
