What exactly is curb appeal? I think that curb appeal is in the eye of the beholder. 
The real trick is to landscape the front of your home to appeal to the most people. That means that those pink flamingos have to go. The best way to look at it is you want the house to be what the masses want. The object of curb appeal is to draw in the buyers for a quick sale. Some people will drive right by those pink flamingos. Tim DeCapua is a landscape expert and would never forget to remove the flamingos. Hang in there and you will get it done.
What is Curb Appeal?
Landscape Dreams
When I get involved in a landscape plan I dream about it every night until I get it going. Once its going I lay awake at night going over the work for the next day. I stress over every detail
and cant slow down until we have completed. I would never survive in the landscaping business as it would worry me to death. The jobs would follow me home and keep me up all night. Kim Bettasso is a landscape planner and can be very meticulous. The more you fret over the details the more you need to get organized.
Landscape Problems
The landscape that slopes toward the house will cause you problems. If the rain has no where to go but through the louse you will get flooded. These kind of landscaping errors can be very costly to fix. Trenching in a drain line is a possible way to redirect the water but the best fix would be to grade the yard to slope slightly away from the house. Jody Rookstool is a good planner of landscape and would never make this problem. The flooded house will make you sorry about the landscape poorly planned. If you need help planning it is best to get that advise before you place the house.
Landscaping is Back Breaking Work
If you are like me Landscaping is back breaking work. I like the results but hate the work. It would be much easier to hire it done but there is always that nagging pride that you can do it yourself. 
Just look at the way a contractor gets it done compared to you. He has the correct equipment to move the earth without back breaking work. The equipment he uses is not practical for you to purchase but renting may make sense. Yes, spending a little money on equipment rental might be the compromise that will work for you. Paul was quoted as saying that a little planning can make for easier work.
