In general terms, a facade is something skin deep that hides the truth of what lies behind. In housing terms, though, a facade is the very essence of a property, the impact it makes on the street, the first glimpse we get of the soul of a home. And it often reflects the structural realities behind it, too.

A facade is generally one side of the exterior of a building, especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the facade of a building is often the most important from a design standpoint, as it sets the tone for the rest of the building.