Repaint the front door a color you like. The porch pillars could be white. I don’t think it needs anything else, move on the some landscaping.

I'm glad to know it doesn't look so bad to others!

I am fine with the house and shutter colors, so will probably not change those, but that red front door has got to go.

Thanks for the suggestions! I do think some landscaping will help a lot.

Sorry but adding aesthetics does not add much financial 'value'. You need to be really prudent in your choices. This is not your forever home so most of the money you put into looks you will never see again. The home appears to be flood ready. No windows low, daunting stairs to get to the front door....I have to assume this is common in this area. Look around see what other's have done. To create a welcoming entrance would mean putting a collosal stair case across the front. As you mention with the septic this just may not be possible.

I do think you are correct in your summary. It is flood-ready with an elevation certification and other mitigation.

I also agree that a staircase in the front that would accomplish what I want to do would need to be large, and there is limited space for it. This is what I had in mind that is common in this area. (This is in the same neighborhood.) It looks like it could project 15'+, and that's not available space.

Thanks for your input.

I think painting the house all one color would go a long way - perhaps a nice pale grey? i agree that a less traditional, more coastal color for the front door would help as well - wonder if you can bulk up the white trim to get a bit more style without a lot of money? If you go a lighter body color then white shutters (that are operational and thus will look more hefty) could be nice as well

I like your idea of white shutters. I was even thinking maybe Bahama shutters, but they do reduce interior light quite a bit and I know they are expensive. Whatever I get should definitely be storm-worthy, although this part of the country does not normally get hit by hurricanes, it's good to be prepared.

As far as painting the house all one color, I should have mentioned that the bottom half of the house is of tabby stucco, which is made of a cement from crushed and burnt oyster shells, and is traditionally not painted.

I agree with your thinking to paint the body of the house a lighter color so that the disparity between the top and bottom is not so stark.

I like the idea of a neutral, taupe-y gray with a brighter door - maybe seafoam or a Caribbean blue.

Thanks for the suggestions!

I would paint the columns & shutters white (or match the stucco white) and a nice bright coastal color on the door. Total cost would be the cost of 1 gallon of paint for the columns & shutters and a quart of paint for the door.

Doing anything to change the staircase/ entry is going to be hugely expensive given that the roof would be involved, too. Stairs, roof, adding a powder room$$$$$$. Which would be downright silly since this is temporary housing. Unless maybe you like flushing money down the toilet?

I also live in an elevated coastal house. While not inexpensive, reconstructing the stairs, possibly reducing the rise of each step and or adding a midpoint landing by extending the stairs to the edge of the house (parallel to the house) would be beneficial.

The shutters should be white- that is throwing off the look here.

I agree with you about the shutters, Jenna, and that is one of the first things I am going to change - thanks.

Ooooh, Simplynatural! Thanks so much - what great ideas!

I'd get a few climbing vines around the bottom of the porch. Trumpet vine, Trumpet creeper. Or roses. I'd leave the porch. My guess is the next buyers will enter through the garage.

With the white shutters. (No objections, just lazy!)

Paint it all one color…white! All white railing and paint shutters and front door same color…black…dark blue..grey?

🤗

Thank you so much to everyone who helped. So far, we have done this, and the stairs will be changed to add a landing next. I think it looks much better already.