Just stay in line with what the neighborhood aesthetic is and make sure everything LOOKS new even if it isn't new.

They generally devalue the property by 3-5% here because people care much more about the aesthetics of their home than saving $10 a month off their electric bill.

If the problem continues and this aesthetic deficiency continues to be a matter of concern, then there are ways of resolving it , but the methods to implement it are of a considerable level of expense.

Should I refinance now and reinvest, or should I complete the aesthetic work first and then refinance?

i should note this is more for aesthetics and not a heat source

Out here, even though damn near every neighborhood has rockscaping, going grass would be beneficial aesthetically as the house would stand out, but grass takes a lot of water and care to maintain in a desert.

In terms of material cost, ease of install, and aesthetics of the finished product, that stuff is money once your installer has laid it a time or two and figured out the whoops's. 

By that time, the only differences will be that the truck will be older, have aesthetic/mechanical issues, be worth a lot less, and nobody will be excited by how it looks or drives.

Its a house being sold with 3 lots of land, in a decent residential area near a major university and the city itself is investing in a streetscape project to improve the aesthetics of the neighborhood, so it seems like a good place to invest.

As @Igor Messano mentioned, you should visit/look at online nearby properties and see what they did in terms of aesthetic and functional design.