We used the Huper Optik ceramic series, like another reader here. It is fabulous, a bit pricey, but our utilities are the lowest in the entire neighborhood. Cooler in summer and warmer in winter, inside. It does not look like anything is on the window at all, but the scorching heat does not permeate and keeps rays at a minimum when sunlight at its peak. WELL worth the cost in the long run. Only problem is that it is difficult to find a vendor, as it is a European product. Our vendor, who did an excellent job, was actually a vehicle window tinting shop. Now, in AZ, (from CA), we have not been able to find a vendor.

Right now I have Meyer lemon, Eureka lemon, Fuji apple, blood orange, naval orange, avocado, cherimoya, white sapote, Kaffir lime, yuzu, and ice cream banana (which has bananas on it right now). When I lived in Venice (CA), I had pineapple guava, Manila mango, papaya, and Texas red fig trees, plus a Valencia orange. I do miss the trees I had in Venice, but I only have so much room. I also grow pineapples, but they are not trees, although they definitely make fruit.

We always had "perfect" holidays, but what was important is that all my aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters, cousins were alive and healthy. We always had too much food with no calories, to many presents, a lot of gossip, music, and all kinds of hope. I never thought it would end and now my dear dad is the last surviving "of the greatest generation" with a version of alzheimers. I felt good to wake up Christmas morning with my lover and know what is really important! Carpe Diem!

Since you are planning to flip the property, I'm guessing your budget is a concern. Usually, bigger money is spent on the interiors. I would definitely tear out the existing shrubbery as it hides the entrance of the house and doesn't really add anything to the view. My suggestion would be to not paint the brick exterior, but whitewash it instead to give it some character, and let some of the original brick color show through---painting over exterior brick and mortar tends to end up looking phony, and years later can start chipping and peeling leaving the next owners with a nightmare to deal with. I would paint the mint-colored house trim white, and pick a cheery contrasting color on the recessed wall of the entry. After a light whitewash finish of the brick and removing the decorative ironwork at the front entrance, I would suggest building a simple pergola spanning the entire length of the roofline. Plant a couple of taller shrubs of varying height to the left side of the shorter window and one on the right side of the shorter window to help frame/balance it, then fill in with lower plants of varying heights along the foundation---some flowering, some with just attractive foliage or decorative grasses, ----maybe add a few interesting rocks of varying size to the mix. As far as the entry goes, it is unfortunate that the electrical/utility access is the first thing you notice when approaching the entrance at the side of the house. I would suggest adding just a short span (8' or so) of white privacy fence to the left of the sidewalk as you face the steps to the entry door (maybe even adding another section to create a 90-degree turn and running parallel to the house on that side) , then plant some shrubbery/plantings along the fencing across the side of the house to hide the view of the electrical access. The sidewalk looks kind of sad, but I've seen inexpensive updates such as cutting through the concrete at various angles and sprinkling sand and pea rock/crushed rock in the cracks (or live ground cover, like creeping thyme), then adding a border of crushed rock/pea rock, contrasting stone pavers on either side of the sidewalk within a newly dug-in sidewalk edging.