Ideas for front yard

[Alfredo Aguirre]

My wife and I, bought a house. Long term plan is to eventually rent it out. So for the first couple of years we are trying to upgrade it, but still keep in mind that this will be a rental. 

First thing on the list is the front yard. Right now it’s basically dirt. We thought about grass, but that requires water and maintenance(Ongoing costs). Turf is another good option. We also considered Rockscaping with some cactus.  

What has worked for other for low maintenance, nice looking, tenant friendly, with a long term approach to a front yard. Home located in Riverside county. Lake Elsinore, CA. Yards around the neighborhood vary between grass and rockscape.