methodology
How we grade your curb
Curb appeal is the single highest-ROI improvement category in residential real estate. The 2026 NAR Cost vs Value report puts a new front door at 105% recoup. A re-landscape, ~95%. Fresh exterior paint, ~78%. None of those numbers happen by accident — they happen because buyers form an opinion in the four seconds it takes them to walk from the car to the door.
The eight-element rubric
| element | weight | what we look at |
|---|---|---|
| front door | 18% | color, condition, scale, hardware, contrast against the facade |
| landscape | 16% | lawn health, bed definition, mulch freshness, plant variety, edging |
| symmetry | 14% | composition balance, vertical/horizontal alignment, focal point |
| paint + siding | 13% | consistency, fade, repairs, trim contrast |
| cleanliness | 12% | gutters, windows, debris, garage clutter, driveway stains |
| lighting | 10% | porch, path, accent, spec match across fixtures |
| walkway | 9% | condition, framing, leading the eye to the door |
| hardware | 8% | house numbers, mailbox, knockers, kick plates |
What you get back
- A letter grade (A+ through F) and a 0–100 score.
- An honest one-liner — no hype, no compliments fishing.
- Up to six fixes ranked by ROI, with 2026 cost ranges and DIY flags.
- An estimated dollar lift if you do all the fixes (range based on NAR data).
Why the grader is free
Curbgrade is funded by Personal Equity Report, a free service that connects homeowners with local realtors who pull comps and tell you what your home is worth today. Most people who run their curb through us aren't selling — and that's fine. The ones who are find PER useful. That's the whole business model. The grader is and will stay free, no email gate, no signup.
What the model can't do
- Bad photos make bad grades. If the front of the house is blurry, in shadow, or mostly trees, the grader can't see what it can't see.
- Roof condition. Roofs read poorly from street-level photos. We don't grade them.
- Interior anything. One photo of one side of the house. That's the scope.