Attractive house. If you are selling, consulting one to three local real estate agents will be useful in guiding your choices and helping you settle on a fix-up budget.

Why do you think the siding needs to be replaced rather than painted, for example? The current gray is more attractive than a combination of siding colors.

Pruning the foundation shrubbery down to below-window-sill would be a good step for fix up, too. If you are not selling, wait until after they finish blooming and consult a gardening book for when to prune.

Thanks, we actually just purchased the house. We like the mature garden but cutting it back will be in order this fall. We like the idea of black trim and black garage door. The siding is in good shape but the vaulted ceiling in the living room is clad in cedar so we figured it would make a nice modern accent to the exterior as well.

I wouldn't add cedar outside. It will not add any value. Black trim/OHD would look good. Is the siding painted or aged?

The siding is painted, not sure what wood it is made of.

Congratulations on your new house. Black trim will look sharp. If you are thinking of curb appeal projects, perhaps a new front walkway could be landscaped to give more of a feeling of entrance. I imagine this summer you will find out how much you like each of the various shrubs. Perhaps those farther from the house could be pruned or transplanted at the right season. But really, though, it looks great already.