The siding does not look bad. It looks like its been stained and its fading. I would not reside right now. Your house also looks like there is an outline of a portico over the front entrance. I would follow those lines and put one back. Spend your money on new stain for the exterior, rather than new siding, and a good clean up of the landscaping that is really in bad condition. Make the planting beds larger than what they are and add some type of walkway from the front door to the driveway. I would also remove that awning from those windows on the left side. It makes the house look a bit lop sided. A couple of nice smaller sized flowering trees in the front yard would look nice too. The whole house appears a bit neglected, so it just needs a lot of freshning up.

This really appears to be the back of the home. The door comes in on the bottom floor? What do you see when you look out the door? The paint shadow says there was a bit of a portico before. I don't think moving the windows is an issue. A decent cover and stoop for getting out of the rain is for sure possible, but comes at a price. What is your budget? The issue may be cost. You need a proper walkway to your front door and some planting beds. These are very much DIY projects that don't have to cost a ton of money. Hit Youtube for 'How to' videos. New paint would help, yours appears to be fading inconsistently. Larger windows would be on my wish list.

1- About curb appeal: Is this the view when you drive up? Does the back door get used much more than the front door? Which door do guests use?

2- Landscaping: Have you been through enough rain to see what the drainage situation is? There's a downspout on the left side of the photo that looks like a concern.

Just a simple canopy over the door.

Maybe the house only requires a new application of stain.

This might be the siding currently on your home. You can purchase replacement siding if some of the siding has seen too much wear and tear. It's reasonably priced and can be order through the big box stores.

This is the front of the house ??? Waht color is the new sdiding? A really good cleanup of the yard , a walkway from where ever you park to the front door for sure. An awning over the door , remove that one from the basement window . You do however need to give us some more info. A simple canopy over the door is the least expensive choice . Amazon has both canopies and awnings at very afforadble pricing . Can we aslo see the other side of the house .

Is this the entrance that you will using? If so, I’d create a walkway from around the front . If able to take on yourself, using gravel or flagstone won’t cost a ton. If budget allows, look into options/quotes from different companies. If you would like to make use of this area, suggest a small patio. Visual updates are easy: remove the awning, add a garden, and paint the screen door and door a great color.

Adding a portico would be a bonus as it would break up the expanse and draw the eye away from the small windows. Maybe settle in and take your time to decide on your needs.

Folks park and get to that front door(if that is the front), from where?

Hopefully you have some DIY skills to plant some shrubs and trees.

Thanks for additional info. Since the view driving up is what needs curb appeal, I think a triangular canopy like Beverly or Maureen show would be perfect. Add new crisp white trim paint after re-siding. The trees could use pruning before the re-siding begins and the foundation plants could be removed for a much neater look.

If you like such things, a garden flag on a pole added to the proposed canopy could show changeable seasonal flair without needing to be watered like a hanging flower basket.

Also, the painters can apply white or black Rustoleum paint to the steel poles that support the clothesline, a small change that makes a big difference in how well-maintained they feel when you use the clothesline. The pleasant "touch and feel" of things we use a lot and look at every day are important in enjoying a house.

The first pic looks rundown and weedy. A coat of fresh paint and removing or sprucing up the canopy over the door would do wonders. After that, you need some landscaping. Remove the weeds, add a path to the door, and get some foundation plantings. You can remove weeds now, but wait until the work on the house is done to redo anything other than the path to the door. If a path to the door is not something you want, just make a landing pad and flank it with some plants or put pots of annuals out.

The two shrubs on either side look to close to the house. What are they? Lovely specimens you want to keep or weed trees, like burning bush or privet? If you are going to remove them, better to do it now, to make life easy for the workmen.

It's not a bad house, it just looks rundown. Post again when the work is done for help with landscaping

THanks for the pics MY advice for siding all the same horizontal for the whole house I do noyt think stucco is agood idea . Is there no way to change the driveway to come to the more obvious front of the house . . I think if that is not possible then the front you showed in the original pic needs som e reall upgrade I would start with a nice deck type entry This os of course not you exact house but the idea is to make this look like a proper entry So a bit large gable and a ground level deck and new door could be ahuge improvement maybe done a bit at a time to make this a real entry into the home and a great look from the drivway

Here's an out of the box suggestion--all horizontal brick/rustic red siding. I agree that keeping the siding all horizontal will unify the different rooflines. Note the simple shed canopy over the front door:

Carolina Jessamine Cottage · More Info

Or a shallow pergola of this type entirely across the façade to draw attention from the windows:

Save your budget for landscape design down the road--deep planting beds to frame the house; walkways to lead people to your entryways.

What is badly needed here is a general circulation/landscaping plan. Where do people park? Where do you *want* them to park? Can we have a drawing of the lot?

The side of the house that faces the street means NOTHING! What matters is where people park. So if you want the upper door to be the main door, do it.

Prior thread: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6403839/help-curb-appeal

I guess you bought the house.

I'll suggest you start with a plan for what you want the house to become, then work towards that goal.

What often happens is that people tackle individual projects without that plan. They need a new roof, or windows, or siding -- expensive things, and make decisions that negatively impact what they can do in the future.

As I said before, I see potential, and lots of $$$ and work.

Vertical siding and stucco sound contemporary to me:

I'm understanding that the 1st photo you posted is the front of the house. I'm suggesting same colour siding for the entire house, upper section vertical batten boards and bottom horizontal boards with white trim and wood front door. I have no ideas of how your driveway is set up but in relation to the house but perhaps a circular entrance can work.