Curb Appeal Redefined in 2026: What Will Really Attract Buyers Next Year | Realtor.com

 

By Dina Sartore-Bodo    December 10, 2025

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.

 

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