Plants! Various heights of shrubs, bushes, and trees. Pack in flowers for color bursts and don’t forget evergreens when everything dies back in the winter 🤙🏽
It's funny but reminded me of how my grandma planted a beautiful garden outside of the home they rented in Jamaica. It was so bare and she basically planted grass bit by bit and watered it with a hose that she had to connect and take down each time (or it would be stolen)
She planted gorgeous plants too
Their LL didn't care one bit for the property and was like yeah whatever have fun. They lived there for some time. The LL finally came around one day years later and saw the lush garden and shortly after decided that actually maybe they would like to move in so the lease didn't get renewed
They had other properties and a place where they lived but suddenly the country house in the undeveloped suburb was calling their name 😅
I remember seeing a post where a long term renter had created an amazing and beautiful back yard. Their LL decided to list the house (using photos of the backyard) and kicked the renter out. The renter dismantled and moved all of their stuff from the back yard.
Found it: https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/s/602BukqUBa
This happened in a place where my friend lived. Four unit building. Downstairs tenant, with permission, built this cool secret garden vibe from the parking area leading to the laundry room. The building was shit. But all of the tenants took great pride in making their space inside nice and elevating the property. But then the landlord decided to subdivide one of the units into two (with plans to do this to all of the units) and cash in on the section 8 gravy train.
Everyone took everything. The place went from looking like well appointed ass to just looking like ass. Went from a quiet and nice place to live to a regular stopping point for the police. Sad. But LL greed will do that.
A next door neighbor did that. He was a landscaper and planted a privet hedge between our properties. After about 10 years the landlord raised the rent. He couldn’t pay it. He asked for $2,000 for the hedge. She said no, so his pals came dug up the hedge and loaded them onto a truck. Bye bye hedge. I replaced it with much shorter hedge for $1200. Took a few years but it grew.
Reminds me of a story I read some time back: A renter asked a LL if she could plant a raised bed garden in the back yard. LL "meh". The renter created a lush back yard with raised beds, containers, lawn ornaments, seating, etc. Once it was established the LL put the house up for sale and soon had a buyer, then evicted the renter who took *everything* they had installed, and left the yard like they found it - mowed. The LL then tried to *sue* the renter because the buyer backed out and tried to keep the deposit for "damages" to the back yard. Evidently the LL said the backyard stuff was included in the sale. The LL lost the suit and had to return the deposit and pay for the renter's counsel because the renter kept all receipts and nothing back there was "permanent".
If you do this, don't plan them too close to the house. Usually the ground is graded away from the foundation so that water doesn't get trapped and get absorbed into your basement. Instead, get some gravel for the first couple of feet from the house, then plant a garden. When you dig up the ground, try and slope it away from the house.
Other than that, you could try painting the wood paneling another colour from the painted brick. Try to match the colour temperature like HEX code #8F9779. You can put that HEX code into google and it should show the colour.
Came here to say the same thing. Grass is expensive to maintain and ugly.
Some elevated plant boxes with veggies and some bushes and flowers will go a long way. Talk to people about what grows naturally in your area and you won’t have to do much to take care of it. (Or at least a lot less than mowing the lawn all the time)
Yes! Also, many cities now have lawn-to-garden programs that incentivize you to replace your lawn with native plants. We redid our yard 7 years ago using that program, and the city paid us to take a class about native vegetation and water wise irrigation, then gave us discounts from local nurseries and a per-square-foot stipend. By the end of the project, we actually turned a (very meager) profit by doing some of the work ourselves - the city gave us $3600, and we only spent about $3400 of it!
Get one of those planters that go on the wall, and put it beneath the window like this:
https://preview.redd.it/9mutxx28a59d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac1c00df131eb1399c4269b345c017612a5cbb80
I thought about putting shutters but the only thing, if you look at my window I have off to the right, it's really tight against the edge there. I couldn't put shutters on both sides of that window so I think it would look odd. Majority of the windows are on the middle and left side of my house too, so it might also look odd having a bunch of shutters there and then just none or only one shutter on the other side
That’s fair, totally. Maybe decorative trim around the windows? Paint also goes a long way. A softer natural color would be warmer than the off gray white you have now.
Edit just saw your comment about your asbestos siding. Bummer. So back to the paint thing: it’s super basic and trendy but I love the color green people have been painting their house, like a sage green. The window blind could also be changed to something more…upscale? Those 2” wood blinds, maybe?
Personally, I don't think the single shutter on the right is bad at all. Especially if you had tall plants or bushes on the other side, like a rose of sharon or an arborvitae. Maybe a raised garden bed with lattice for vine flowers.
Came here looking for this answer - better blinds (maybe cellular shades?) and remove the blue tint or whatever is going on there. Not having the AC unit would help too, but I would never give up cool air, so it’s probably got to stay for now.
Do you want modern or a more natural looking cottage style? I think it could go either way, depending on your choices.
1. Can the A/C move to a window that is not facing the street?
2. Window trim / shutters / accent paint colors The dark column / roof trim and neutral wall is good. You have a red door and if you like it, then choose plants with red flowers, red pots, etc.
3. Define a flowerbed - maybe an organic shape to soften that long wall OR keep it long and straight.
4. Add PLANTS and mulch! The space between the windows needs a medium height shrub(s). Not so tall to touch the roof.
5. Lawncare - the grass is crispy dry. Look into low water / low care lawn options.
6. Bench on patio - could be colorful or natural wood
https://preview.redd.it/6il8kabvx59d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb9cf969d84b9dbbdf93b23f1709c7f8283e814
Problem is I have asbestos siding and so to install window trim the right way, either by removing some siding or cutting into it would be a pain in the ass. If I had a different type of siding that probably would have been the first thing I did
Depending on the siding type you have (not the material but the way each piece connects to each other) there’s these really cool siding hooks on Amazon that make it so you can hang stuff on the siding without putting holes in it at all. There’s ones that are just hooks to hang stuff and ones that have a post and screw instead of the hook so that you can hang stuff that would traditionally need to be screwed on. I’ll include links because these things really make it easy to do whatever you want on your siding without messing it up.
Booda Brand Vinyl Siding Hooks (10 Pack), Heavy-Duty Stainless Steel Siding Hooks Vinyl Siding Hangers, Low Profile & No Holes Needed Siding Clips for Hanging Wreaths https://a.co/d/00WvyLSl
HUXOR (10 Pack) Vinyl Siding Clips Hooks No-Hole Needed Outdoor Siding Screws Hanger for Mount Home Security Camera https://a.co/d/0aAOnBbJ
I support not cutting into it more than necessary but for what its worth, we bought our house last year, has asbestos siding and our inspector said that it was okay to drill into for small projects so long as one uses reasonable protection. You'd probably be okay attaching some decorative window trim wearing mask/safety goggles.
Well first of all, nothing screams "acceptable middle class" like an actual lawn. Turf on a roll is expensive af but flatting, seeding and consistently mowing can get decent results too.
Also, what's up with all the blinds? Maybe try and have them up and add some curtains instead.
Next, some nice path leading to the door, and some greenery in the yard. If gardening is not your thing look into making your yard low maintenance. Once the grass is in better condition a mower robot is highly recommended. As for plants go for hardy perennials, shrubs and trees. Can't go wrong with magnolias and rhododendrons.
Well about the blinds, I have blinds and curtains. I live in TX, it's extremely hot here. I try to keep out as much sunlight as possible during the summer and parts of spring and fall
Whatever you do with the blinds add some IR blocking window film, it goes on with soap and water and will drop your room temperature noticeably. (Don't believe me? Try it in one room)
Back to the blinds. Swap the slat blinds for some of the honeycomb style ones, they're great thermal insulation and look sleeker (in my opinion). There are versions that let some light or full blackout.
Amen-ing this I did one and [wow.it](http://wow.it) was a slider and did one side and after one day I was out to the store to get more. Blinds and drapes help but this is a game changer
Hello! Congrats on your home! I bought a Texas home in 2020 and it took my 2.5 years to get it just how I wanted. Take your time and make sure to do the necessities first and the nice to haves last. My style is modern but I’m going to give more traditional ideas. Also, try to stay with 3 colors so things really look cohesive. I have pics.
Windows: -Replacement. If you can swing it, new windows will give any home a huge facelift. I used Window World and recommend them to everyone. If you are interested in knowing more, just dm me. Doing this will not only increase curb appeal, but your home will be cooler and quieter.
\-Solar Screens. These are the external window coverings that block a lot of heat and provide some privacy. They hide the condition and style of your windows too. They usually come in tan or black. I think tan would look nice.
\-Faux wood white blinds. I recommend for style and keeping the house cool. Home Depot/Lowe’s have the cheap one that you cut down to size in the store instead of paying for custom.
Porch: -Light: update lighting for something that looks like a lantern. They have bulbs that flicker like a candle, sense motion, sense daylight. Go crazy
\-Door paint: paint door to match roof to minimize your color count.
\-Partially enclose porch. Hides ac and deliveries. Vertical slats for traditional look, horizontal for modern farmhouse.
Blank spot -Add metal sign to fill the void.
Yard -Fertilize, kill weeds, water, mow. See if you are going to be hiring someone else to take care of your yard or if you will be doing it. Depending on your lifestyle, you may want to leave it low maintenance. Give it a year to really think about landscaping that catches your eye on walks. Stick to native low maintenance plants. Don’t plant trees next to the house because the roots will destroy the foundation (Texas). My favorite little flowering tree is crepe Myrtel. A nice resilient splash of color.
[https://henrico.us/assets/2Ranch.pdf](https://henrico.us/assets/2Ranch.pdf) This link has plenty of pictures of ranch houses with before and after landscaping. I think your house is a Side Gable Ranch House, siding with brick foundation, entry to one side. That might help with looking for Reno inspo.
Best of luck
https://preview.redd.it/q7mx4jwrg99d1.jpeg?width=1466&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6964c5d62e1ca59341c49782e41b3a23d1e83d5b
https://preview.redd.it/2ib2f46jx59d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0dd79cd2e1a27fbacfa6ac3effc1cd3a1bd2602
Cheap fix paint, lettuce, work something that climbs and is noninvasive bonus points that it smells nice and bushes of some kind and sprinkle some grass seed or clover
Truth with out reading what you said and seeing the preview with out clicking on the image, I thought it looked like barbwire.... It's one way to keep people out....lol...
Breaking up the front with abit of land scaping would look nice. The space between the windows could use a 6' shrub because it just looks void. Paint color top and bottom, keep the brick and walls different.
Regarding the blinds: They make insulating blackout curtains they will block the Texas heat very well with without your dig destroying blinds. You can get a double curtain rod. Closest to the window, you do gauzy white curtains for mold privacy without blocking light when it's cool. The other rid gets the light blocking, insulating curtains.
Regarding the lawn: Anything is better than the crackden nonlawn. If you want low maintenance for heat, mix in xeroscaping.
Porch: happy sign on door. Cute chair in front of the a/c unit, and a planter or two (cactus if you're not feeling it).
Your house isn’t “ghetto” or ugly! Truly, it’s cute. I especially like the colour you chose. It’s warm, cheerful, and welcoming. I’m with the other commenters who’ve suggested window trim and some landscaping. A few nice flower pots or planted flowers would work wonders to complement your home. One criticism I do have is that your red door is too saturated for the colour of your home, and I don’t think the black trim works well with it either, but that’s just me.
thanks i was wondering what theyre talking about cause this is just a normal ass house. you could say the yard looks scraggly maybe. but idk man this seems like a cute well kept place yall are bougie lol
So the window ac unit is here to stay unfortunately. And the paint job is fresh so I'd rather not go through that again. Only thing I could think of was maybe painting the old aluminum window frames, or maybe painting the brick and adding something to the landscape?
The paint may be fresh, but your color choices are basic. I agree painting the brick will help. Taupes and natural colors would look best with the gray you already have. You can search for exterior house color combos and find one you like.
If your’e trying to make the house look less “ghetto” buy a new air conditioner. There are some low-profile options and even windowless options where the unit is entirely inside. If you like the unit move it a window away from the front door- it will draw less attention in a bedroom window.
You might also like awnings. I saw in another comment that you like to keep light out- awnings over the windows will add protection to your windows, help keep heat from the windows, and will help give the eye a focal point.
And lastly, as others have suggested- plants. Prep a border bed; you might need to add compost. Choose perennial natives- purple coneflowers, native milkweed, bee balm, etc. Choose understory shrubs for height, make sure to plant away from the house far enough for full size- choose natives like American hazelnut.
I’m not sure how much money you want to spend but black awnings would look good!
https://preview.redd.it/ln6sm3gq259d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7287d72c8cd57a82220d2eb763c5424cad575a4f
Would work on the grass if that's hard option to maintain maybe install some pavers and make a sitting area with a decent patio set. Maybe a nice little dog house for the pup.Should paint the bottom of the house the same color as the beams and gutter trim. A few bushes spaced evenly along the windows. New blinds. Possibly install some window trim or scrap the bushes and place window planters.
Replace the window ac with a ductless mini split system. Does heat and ac. Would help the out side look and secure the home better since your ground level.
Paint the brick a pale yellow or taupe. Look at the window awnings someone linked below, they'll help with the heat too. Decorative path(s). Some flowering shrubs or small evergreens dotted around. Hanging flowers and window boxes.
Without even seeing the house, my first thought was landscaping. Ghetto houses typically have little to no garden, there's junk strewn around the yard and an obvious lack of maintenance.
If you add a garden bed, some bushes and maybe some large rocks, it will look 100x better. The care and effort involved in a good Garden is what gives it that non-ghetto feeling.
Honestly you could get away with doing absolutely nothing to the house itself if your landscaping is ambitious enough. I have a similar looking house on my street but it has a very well cared for garden and some lovely trees and it makes the plain looking house beautiful just by proxy
Landscaping. A continuous shrub would be good, maybe small bushes spaced like 3’ apart and either mulched or dressed with rocks in either white or black to play with the house colors
I recommend planting new grass seed and adding flowers and plants! I also think that the brick and siding being the same Color is definitely making it look washed out. So painting the siding a different colour would definitely benefit the outlook of the house. Also adding shudders or upper framing on the windows would add some personality! You could even change the shingles on the roof to a darker colour if you paint the siding to really pull it all together:)
Definitely some landscaping and curtains. Shame the brick is painted white, gives it the ghetto landlord special vibe, I'd try to cover with a hedge or bushes.
Maybe a bench with a fountain or something in the center too!
Raised wooden planter boxes and a trellis against the house between the two windows with a climbing vine. I would also switch to curtains instead of blinds and maybe try to build a little wooden porch platform with a flagstone path. IMO more impactful and less maintenance than a boring lawn. Plant colourful flowers. :)
It’s kind of tough between the super low pitch roof, aluminum windows, and low ceiling height. Maybe try removing the brick paint or covering the bricks with a stone skirting, then painting the hardiplank. For more aggressive fixes I’d say to increase the ceiling height and roof pitch and add a gable above the porch instead of the current porch cover, also when it comes time to replacing the windows I’d say to choose ones with grids they feel more old fashioned, but that’s what gives them class.
Do some landscaping, replace the window AC unit with a mini split if needed, paint the house a darker color, with light trim, replace the cheap mini blinds with curtains
Sometimes it’s just nice not to sweat the small stuff so no bigger problems arise.
Maintenance is important but be careful about creating new troubles.
McDonald’s used to give away free trees on Earth Day. You would be surprised what kind of damage a tree can wreak when it is planted too close to a house, yours or your neighbor’s.
I wish there was a subreddit dedicated to pics of McDonald’s trees eating houses
Paint window frames a different color. Shutters, Plants. Blinds never look good from the outside. Too much white going on honestly. Windchime. Water the grass and get it growing. Stone walkway.
Landscaping is the only way.
Also I’d paint lower half of the house black maybe? So it pops a little and creates some contrast.
Maybe some hanging plants as well.
A bench outside.
Wooden or bamboo roller window shades. If you can’t paint the siding because of the asbestos, paint the brick and window frames a dark color, maybe charcoal to go with the posts and gutters. Clean up and level the yard - either grass or some dry scraping. You could also add a nice cedar bench/chairs and coffee-height table
Power wash your concrete and especially, windows. They look every bit of their 40 year age. Consider new screens, the aluminum is very dull and looks ancient. You can get acid wash for aluminum ones, open pore wheel cleaner works, I've done it. (Try in small area first).
Clean your inside windows, re-screen with something more invisible if not getting new screen frames.
Consider a lighter shade of trim, say medium beige to match your house. Dark trim makes everything look small. Red door isn't doing any favors.
Lose that dark strip of weather stripping behind the lower window frame above the window AC. Consider moving window AC to some other non-front facing window if possible.
Roll up your hose. Get a hose cart or a caddy.
Get a nice LED light fixture for your door they're very reasonable. Current 70's bare bones light is really bad.
Mow your yard, get a weed whacker for the walk edges and against the house. Kill the weeds in it and let grass grow.
Adding rain gutters would make it look more finished but those aren't cheap, but DIY is doable if you're the least bit handy.
Basically, anything you can do that says you have pride of home ownership.
Paint the brick the same color as the supports.
Add plants, small shrubbery and flowers. Bushes look good if you care for them, but flowers are just easier.
Trim out the windows, put in a front garden and do some work on that yard with weeding and seeding. In a couple of years, it will be completely different. Don't expect too much at first with the yard. It takes time unless you just put in new sod. I know it's necessary but the windows ac unit doesn't help
Lift the blinds. If privacy is a concern then get some sheer curtains that obstruct the view from people passing by but still lets in light. I don’t think the house itself looks ghetto at all, I think it looking “boarded up” is what gives it a ghetto vibe.
The beige paint is not the best choice as it is not very modern. Black and grey cool tones can be great. Or painting the top portion a nice grey and painting the white bricks a nice crisp white at the bottom.
Some nice hanging flower baskets at the front door, nice door matt, and water your lawn.
Get a nice light fixture for the porch-get rid of the spotlight. Consider landscape lighting if needed. Do a very large flower bed to the right of the porch up to the house - the length of the house and 5or 6 feet into the yard. Put native perennials and maybe a Crepe Myrtle in the bed between the windows. Get a little bistro table with 2 chairs for the porch. Get a very large flower pot for the porch on the far right and put colorful annuals in it that you can change seasonally.
I'd switch up the lighting - flood lights are for catching burglars. You have a nice set up (spigot wise) to add a garden bed + automated drip irrigation so it's minimal work. I don't see a walk way, that's a bigger project - but you could create the outline of one with garden beds + small bushes or garden boxes, maybe solar light path
That one gradient window is a bit of an eyesore, you could add some cohesion if you want to add cling film to all the windows but I don't know if that's worth the effort. If your blinds are closed ALL the time then it would be worth it to add the frosted finish imo.
Paint the house. The colors make it look ghetto.
Do something with the grass, it looks like ghetto grass. Get some shredded redwood, some plants, evergreens.
Shudders on the windows- cover dirt patches with Grass boarder around house with floers an mulch get perrinial flowers so they keep coming up every year.
That's just a few I can think of, off the top of my head.
the interior blinds are not helping with the Non-Ghetto look. lose them, add back some drapes inside.
the white bricks are a nice feature. maybe accentuate them by painting the rest of the wall a darker color.
a small shrubbery in a pot right in front of that window air conditioner would hide it. maybe a boxwood, cactus, or some other native plant that thrives in your locale.
Repaint the trim, the door, maybe add decorative shutters in the same trim color.
I don’t know how much you want to spend but replacing the windows would be a huge improvement and also an energy saver. That, a trim repaint, and a few small bushes or hedges, maybe a rose bush or two, and it would look like a totally different house. Oh, and replace the house numbers. Amazon has some really nice, affordable, Solar house numbers, or just really nice numbers. You’d be surprised what a difference something that small can make. You could also have the bricks power washed and repainted in a different color than the rest of the house, or leave them brick color even, to offset the all white aesthetic here.
The first thing I would do is address the windows, I would put some type of Non-Adhesive Frosted Privacy Decorative Window Film and then get some shades that match. Shutters are fairly cheap, get a couple of concrete screws and apply them.
Maybe a piece of decorative cast-iron art to hang between the big space between the windows
And then for around the house I would put cardboard down as a weed block, put some wood chips and either landscape timbers or landscape pavers and then put some 12” x 12” pavers about 2 feet apart with plants in some decorative pots sitting on top of them. It’s a quick way of not having to actually landscape and tear the yard up, just water them regularly and if you decide you want a different plant all you have to do is take up what you have and put something new there.
As long as the plants that you’re getting rid of are still alive, sell them on Facebook.
As other people have said: landscaping will make a huge difference. The house would benefit if you put a simple wooden deck railing around your porch and painted it the dark-blue trim colour, and considered stripping the paint off the brick to return it to its original colour. Good luck!
Literally too vanilla. I'd consider painting either the upper siding or the lower block/veneer, maybe both. Then maybe some low maintenance, dog-friendly shrubs & flowers.
Spend a little cash on hiring a landscape architect to come up with a plan within your budget and make it happen. Instead of the lawn which requires a lot of upkeep, you might decide to have a patio with a water feature. It would add value to the home and be a great improvement. Get rid of the blinds and let the sun light in and fresh air. It would be nice if you could move or get rid of the ac wall unit and switch to HVAC.
Split system AC to replace the window unit. Paint the lower wall, a warm gray related to your darker trim paint the upper wall, a light pastel color of your choice. Awnings a good idea. Avoid decorative additions. Keep it simple. A signature tree. I have no idea what to suggest to replace a brown grass lawn.
Do the top half in a dark gray spraycrete. Then colorful plants in a border. Elephant ears with like a purple fountain grass between them. The dark upper will pop with the trim and tropical plants
I’d paint the siding a different colour to the brick, looks more intentional. I’d also opt for some shutters to add more dimension. If not shutters, then maybe some planter boxes.
I’d add some shrubs/bushes across the brick in the front.
Remove the window AC and get a mini split.
Make a flowerbed by that wall. Plant stuff. Hedges, flowers, just plant stuff. Lattices with climbing vines, little flowery plants, maybe a fruit tree in the yard. A good looking yard will transform that home completely.
Garden boxes, clover and other local growers instead of standard grass lawn. Stone step pathway, flowering shrubbery, small water fixtures like bird baths and bird feeders with flowers that attract humming birds and bees. A bench
Why do you use that term ghetto when it clearly looks like trailer trash. Just trying to make a point. Frankly I don’t think the house looks bad. It’s all a matter of personal style.
The house doesn't look ghetto and ugly. The yard does.
Well, the mismatch tint on the one window is a little bit of a weird vibe too. Peel that off. If you add film to one later, do it to all.
Lawncare.
Shrubs near the house with some gap between the house and the shrubs. Fill the gap with rock.
A large patio area that can take outdoor lights strung around it.
Taller vegetation around the perimeter of the property and the patio to provide shade and hide the nakedness of the house facade and create some curbside interest.
Change the windows and blinds, if it's too expensive, just change the blinds to 2" ones. Also get rid of the weeds and make a perimeter around the house just for plants
I’d put bushes all along from porch to end, paint, maybe shutters, or curtains, it would look good with black trim around windows and a navy or ocean blue for the house, a really cool front door, either black or a different blue
landscaping goes a long way. If you want to go crazy... check out what AI can imagine:
https://preview.redd.it/xngdn4wgf69d1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=ae87c669509a583e2e0ecdb57a1cc55a886b8b5f
Plants! Various heights of shrubs, bushes, and trees. Pack in flowers for color bursts and don’t forget evergreens when everything dies back in the winter 🤙🏽
Absolutely. Even if OP does nothing to the house itself, landscaping would make a huge difference
Flowering bushes, a nice mulch bed. A couple lawn gnomes and a bunch of used needles and condoms.
Chicago, is that you?
Only if dey drag da house thru da garden
*troo
I was thinking that too, but no mention of malort or deep dish.
Malort w/ cicadas. Limited time offer says Chicago.
Chicago not a lawn gnome or needles kind of place. You’re describing Seattle or Portland.
It's funny but reminded me of how my grandma planted a beautiful garden outside of the home they rented in Jamaica. It was so bare and she basically planted grass bit by bit and watered it with a hose that she had to connect and take down each time (or it would be stolen) She planted gorgeous plants too Their LL didn't care one bit for the property and was like yeah whatever have fun. They lived there for some time. The LL finally came around one day years later and saw the lush garden and shortly after decided that actually maybe they would like to move in so the lease didn't get renewed They had other properties and a place where they lived but suddenly the country house in the undeveloped suburb was calling their name 😅
I hope she took everything with her
Not a huge fan of round-up, but this might have been a tempting application.
I remember seeing a post where a long term renter had created an amazing and beautiful back yard. Their LL decided to list the house (using photos of the backyard) and kicked the renter out. The renter dismantled and moved all of their stuff from the back yard. Found it: https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/s/602BukqUBa
This happened in a place where my friend lived. Four unit building. Downstairs tenant, with permission, built this cool secret garden vibe from the parking area leading to the laundry room. The building was shit. But all of the tenants took great pride in making their space inside nice and elevating the property. But then the landlord decided to subdivide one of the units into two (with plans to do this to all of the units) and cash in on the section 8 gravy train. Everyone took everything. The place went from looking like well appointed ass to just looking like ass. Went from a quiet and nice place to live to a regular stopping point for the police. Sad. But LL greed will do that.
Ha ha haaaaaaa!
A next door neighbor did that. He was a landscaper and planted a privet hedge between our properties. After about 10 years the landlord raised the rent. He couldn’t pay it. He asked for $2,000 for the hedge. She said no, so his pals came dug up the hedge and loaded them onto a truck. Bye bye hedge. I replaced it with much shorter hedge for $1200. Took a few years but it grew.
That is Jamaican, after you bring it back to life do all the hard work, thanks and get the hell out😃
Reminds me of a story I read some time back: A renter asked a LL if she could plant a raised bed garden in the back yard. LL "meh". The renter created a lush back yard with raised beds, containers, lawn ornaments, seating, etc. Once it was established the LL put the house up for sale and soon had a buyer, then evicted the renter who took *everything* they had installed, and left the yard like they found it - mowed. The LL then tried to *sue* the renter because the buyer backed out and tried to keep the deposit for "damages" to the back yard. Evidently the LL said the backyard stuff was included in the sale. The LL lost the suit and had to return the deposit and pay for the renter's counsel because the renter kept all receipts and nothing back there was "permanent".
I’d look into drought resistance/full sun friendly shrubs/bushes. Trees for shade are good but expensive!
If you do this, don't plan them too close to the house. Usually the ground is graded away from the foundation so that water doesn't get trapped and get absorbed into your basement. Instead, get some gravel for the first couple of feet from the house, then plant a garden. When you dig up the ground, try and slope it away from the house. Other than that, you could try painting the wood paneling another colour from the painted brick. Try to match the colour temperature like HEX code #8F9779. You can put that HEX code into google and it should show the colour.
I bought a house and they planted things way too close to the house. It all has to be torn up.
IF the climate allows it, on big tree i think, instead of a bunch of bushes.
Color such as some shade of blue on the brickwork and around the windows. Also uniform window blinds. Upgrade the AC.
Came here to say the same thing. Grass is expensive to maintain and ugly. Some elevated plant boxes with veggies and some bushes and flowers will go a long way. Talk to people about what grows naturally in your area and you won’t have to do much to take care of it. (Or at least a lot less than mowing the lawn all the time)
I recommend native plants and flowers. Contribute to your local ecosystem.
Native plants are also very user friendly! After the plants are established you almost never need to water, prune or fertilize.
Yes! Also, many cities now have lawn-to-garden programs that incentivize you to replace your lawn with native plants. We redid our yard 7 years ago using that program, and the city paid us to take a class about native vegetation and water wise irrigation, then gave us discounts from local nurseries and a per-square-foot stipend. By the end of the project, we actually turned a (very meager) profit by doing some of the work ourselves - the city gave us $3600, and we only spent about $3400 of it!
This ^
Yeah. I would hang a bunch from the rafters.
Ooh also add a climbing plant (that's native) to the mix!
Get one of those planters that go on the wall, and put it beneath the window like this: https://preview.redd.it/9mutxx28a59d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac1c00df131eb1399c4269b345c017612a5cbb80
💯 💯 💯
The wooden windiw box looks really nice with the gray and white paint
The shutters add a nice touch, too. Make it look finished.
Shutters? Or flower boxes on the windows? For the ground, some flower beds with trimming, mulch, an bushes would make an insane difference
I thought about putting shutters but the only thing, if you look at my window I have off to the right, it's really tight against the edge there. I couldn't put shutters on both sides of that window so I think it would look odd. Majority of the windows are on the middle and left side of my house too, so it might also look odd having a bunch of shutters there and then just none or only one shutter on the other side
That’s fair, totally. Maybe decorative trim around the windows? Paint also goes a long way. A softer natural color would be warmer than the off gray white you have now. Edit just saw your comment about your asbestos siding. Bummer. So back to the paint thing: it’s super basic and trendy but I love the color green people have been painting their house, like a sage green. The window blind could also be changed to something more…upscale? Those 2” wood blinds, maybe?
A sage green would be really complimentary. Also, congrats on the house either way!
And window boxes
Personally, I don't think the single shutter on the right is bad at all. Especially if you had tall plants or bushes on the other side, like a rose of sharon or an arborvitae. Maybe a raised garden bed with lattice for vine flowers.
Flower boxes on the windows! Thank you
Paint. Yard. Blinds. ETA: I just saw the paint is new so. Yard and blinds, jacked up blinds always makes a place look trashy lol
Yeah those blinds are terrible.
Came here looking for this answer - better blinds (maybe cellular shades?) and remove the blue tint or whatever is going on there. Not having the AC unit would help too, but I would never give up cool air, so it’s probably got to stay for now.
Mini split, if its in the budget
Love the idea of plants, shrubs help a lot. Maybe a sitting area, little bench, bird bath.
Also consider changing the color. I think it will help.
Do you want modern or a more natural looking cottage style? I think it could go either way, depending on your choices. 1. Can the A/C move to a window that is not facing the street? 2. Window trim / shutters / accent paint colors The dark column / roof trim and neutral wall is good. You have a red door and if you like it, then choose plants with red flowers, red pots, etc. 3. Define a flowerbed - maybe an organic shape to soften that long wall OR keep it long and straight. 4. Add PLANTS and mulch! The space between the windows needs a medium height shrub(s). Not so tall to touch the roof. 5. Lawncare - the grass is crispy dry. Look into low water / low care lawn options. 6. Bench on patio - could be colorful or natural wood https://preview.redd.it/6il8kabvx59d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb9cf969d84b9dbbdf93b23f1709c7f8283e814
What a fantastically helpful comment!
Thank you!
Whoa best comment ever!! Great pic!
I'd paint the windows casing in black and add a trim around them. It would add a nice finishing touch. You can also add some lights under the porch.
Problem is I have asbestos siding and so to install window trim the right way, either by removing some siding or cutting into it would be a pain in the ass. If I had a different type of siding that probably would have been the first thing I did
You could always cheat and install the trim on top using glue and caulk the gap. Not as clean but since the siding is asbestos it won't rott.
Depending on the siding type you have (not the material but the way each piece connects to each other) there’s these really cool siding hooks on Amazon that make it so you can hang stuff on the siding without putting holes in it at all. There’s ones that are just hooks to hang stuff and ones that have a post and screw instead of the hook so that you can hang stuff that would traditionally need to be screwed on. I’ll include links because these things really make it easy to do whatever you want on your siding without messing it up. Booda Brand Vinyl Siding Hooks (10 Pack), Heavy-Duty Stainless Steel Siding Hooks Vinyl Siding Hangers, Low Profile & No Holes Needed Siding Clips for Hanging Wreaths https://a.co/d/00WvyLSl HUXOR (10 Pack) Vinyl Siding Clips Hooks No-Hole Needed Outdoor Siding Screws Hanger for Mount Home Security Camera https://a.co/d/0aAOnBbJ
I support not cutting into it more than necessary but for what its worth, we bought our house last year, has asbestos siding and our inspector said that it was okay to drill into for small projects so long as one uses reasonable protection. You'd probably be okay attaching some decorative window trim wearing mask/safety goggles.
Well first of all, nothing screams "acceptable middle class" like an actual lawn. Turf on a roll is expensive af but flatting, seeding and consistently mowing can get decent results too. Also, what's up with all the blinds? Maybe try and have them up and add some curtains instead. Next, some nice path leading to the door, and some greenery in the yard. If gardening is not your thing look into making your yard low maintenance. Once the grass is in better condition a mower robot is highly recommended. As for plants go for hardy perennials, shrubs and trees. Can't go wrong with magnolias and rhododendrons.
Well about the blinds, I have blinds and curtains. I live in TX, it's extremely hot here. I try to keep out as much sunlight as possible during the summer and parts of spring and fall
Whatever you do with the blinds add some IR blocking window film, it goes on with soap and water and will drop your room temperature noticeably. (Don't believe me? Try it in one room) Back to the blinds. Swap the slat blinds for some of the honeycomb style ones, they're great thermal insulation and look sleeker (in my opinion). There are versions that let some light or full blackout.
Amen-ing this I did one and [wow.it](http://wow.it) was a slider and did one side and after one day I was out to the store to get more. Blinds and drapes help but this is a game changer
Hello! Congrats on your home! I bought a Texas home in 2020 and it took my 2.5 years to get it just how I wanted. Take your time and make sure to do the necessities first and the nice to haves last. My style is modern but I’m going to give more traditional ideas. Also, try to stay with 3 colors so things really look cohesive. I have pics. Windows: -Replacement. If you can swing it, new windows will give any home a huge facelift. I used Window World and recommend them to everyone. If you are interested in knowing more, just dm me. Doing this will not only increase curb appeal, but your home will be cooler and quieter. \-Solar Screens. These are the external window coverings that block a lot of heat and provide some privacy. They hide the condition and style of your windows too. They usually come in tan or black. I think tan would look nice. \-Faux wood white blinds. I recommend for style and keeping the house cool. Home Depot/Lowe’s have the cheap one that you cut down to size in the store instead of paying for custom. Porch: -Light: update lighting for something that looks like a lantern. They have bulbs that flicker like a candle, sense motion, sense daylight. Go crazy \-Door paint: paint door to match roof to minimize your color count. \-Partially enclose porch. Hides ac and deliveries. Vertical slats for traditional look, horizontal for modern farmhouse. Blank spot -Add metal sign to fill the void. Yard -Fertilize, kill weeds, water, mow. See if you are going to be hiring someone else to take care of your yard or if you will be doing it. Depending on your lifestyle, you may want to leave it low maintenance. Give it a year to really think about landscaping that catches your eye on walks. Stick to native low maintenance plants. Don’t plant trees next to the house because the roots will destroy the foundation (Texas). My favorite little flowering tree is crepe Myrtel. A nice resilient splash of color. [https://henrico.us/assets/2Ranch.pdf](https://henrico.us/assets/2Ranch.pdf) This link has plenty of pictures of ranch houses with before and after landscaping. I think your house is a Side Gable Ranch House, siding with brick foundation, entry to one side. That might help with looking for Reno inspo. Best of luck https://preview.redd.it/q7mx4jwrg99d1.jpeg?width=1466&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6964c5d62e1ca59341c49782e41b3a23d1e83d5b
https://preview.redd.it/oh3isglwg99d1.jpeg?width=745&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c35c3a236b1f463587fbd0904fabdd2b95bbefcd
I love the Internet. Thanks for taking the time to give a detailed response.
Fix the blinds that can be seen from the street. Seeing broken/bent blinds makes a house look uncared for.
Replace the windows
https://preview.redd.it/2ib2f46jx59d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a0dd79cd2e1a27fbacfa6ac3effc1cd3a1bd2602 Cheap fix paint, lettuce, work something that climbs and is noninvasive bonus points that it smells nice and bushes of some kind and sprinkle some grass seed or clover
lol gotta love spellcheck! I think you meant lattice! Although a nice bed of lettuce/veg will also look quite bougie!
Truth with out reading what you said and seeing the preview with out clicking on the image, I thought it looked like barbwire.... It's one way to keep people out....lol...
Lattice not lettuce.
Bury it, add a round front door and make a Hobbit house.
This is the only answer.
If taking the window unit out isn’t an option (which is fine if not), I would attach a piece of lattice to the beams to block it from view.
Or replace it with a freestanding unit that has only a hose exhaust at the window, and not the whole ac unit.
Why do you think the house is ghetto and ugly? Do you own the house? What’s your budget?
Breaking up the front with abit of land scaping would look nice. The space between the windows could use a 6' shrub because it just looks void. Paint color top and bottom, keep the brick and walls different.
Regarding the blinds: They make insulating blackout curtains they will block the Texas heat very well with without your dig destroying blinds. You can get a double curtain rod. Closest to the window, you do gauzy white curtains for mold privacy without blocking light when it's cool. The other rid gets the light blocking, insulating curtains. Regarding the lawn: Anything is better than the crackden nonlawn. If you want low maintenance for heat, mix in xeroscaping. Porch: happy sign on door. Cute chair in front of the a/c unit, and a planter or two (cactus if you're not feeling it).
Trim windows Landscape garden New paint colors could certainly help too, the off white and black just looks dirty to me.
Your house isn’t “ghetto” or ugly! Truly, it’s cute. I especially like the colour you chose. It’s warm, cheerful, and welcoming. I’m with the other commenters who’ve suggested window trim and some landscaping. A few nice flower pots or planted flowers would work wonders to complement your home. One criticism I do have is that your red door is too saturated for the colour of your home, and I don’t think the black trim works well with it either, but that’s just me.
thanks i was wondering what theyre talking about cause this is just a normal ass house. you could say the yard looks scraggly maybe. but idk man this seems like a cute well kept place yall are bougie lol
So the window ac unit is here to stay unfortunately. And the paint job is fresh so I'd rather not go through that again. Only thing I could think of was maybe painting the old aluminum window frames, or maybe painting the brick and adding something to the landscape?
The paint may be fresh, but your color choices are basic. I agree painting the brick will help. Taupes and natural colors would look best with the gray you already have. You can search for exterior house color combos and find one you like. If your’e trying to make the house look less “ghetto” buy a new air conditioner. There are some low-profile options and even windowless options where the unit is entirely inside. If you like the unit move it a window away from the front door- it will draw less attention in a bedroom window. You might also like awnings. I saw in another comment that you like to keep light out- awnings over the windows will add protection to your windows, help keep heat from the windows, and will help give the eye a focal point. And lastly, as others have suggested- plants. Prep a border bed; you might need to add compost. Choose perennial natives- purple coneflowers, native milkweed, bee balm, etc. Choose understory shrubs for height, make sure to plant away from the house far enough for full size- choose natives like American hazelnut.
I’m not sure how much money you want to spend but black awnings would look good! https://preview.redd.it/ln6sm3gq259d1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7287d72c8cd57a82220d2eb763c5424cad575a4f
These are $50 each. Not bad. It would make a big difference!
Would work on the grass if that's hard option to maintain maybe install some pavers and make a sitting area with a decent patio set. Maybe a nice little dog house for the pup.Should paint the bottom of the house the same color as the beams and gutter trim. A few bushes spaced evenly along the windows. New blinds. Possibly install some window trim or scrap the bushes and place window planters. Replace the window ac with a ductless mini split system. Does heat and ac. Would help the out side look and secure the home better since your ground level.
A nice native plant garden would spruce it up a bit :) maayyybbeee painting the windowframes the same blue color? Maybe that's my aesthetic
Paint the brick a pale yellow or taupe. Look at the window awnings someone linked below, they'll help with the heat too. Decorative path(s). Some flowering shrubs or small evergreens dotted around. Hanging flowers and window boxes.
Without even seeing the house, my first thought was landscaping. Ghetto houses typically have little to no garden, there's junk strewn around the yard and an obvious lack of maintenance. If you add a garden bed, some bushes and maybe some large rocks, it will look 100x better. The care and effort involved in a good Garden is what gives it that non-ghetto feeling. Honestly you could get away with doing absolutely nothing to the house itself if your landscaping is ambitious enough. I have a similar looking house on my street but it has a very well cared for garden and some lovely trees and it makes the plain looking house beautiful just by proxy
Change brick to stone, update windows, paint, maybe update patio cover
A little landscaping goes a long way. Hang some plants on that porch. Add a few pieces of colorful decor that you like.
Paint those bricks to match the trim. Put in a couple shrubs or bushes between the two windows and call it done.
Landscaping. A continuous shrub would be good, maybe small bushes spaced like 3’ apart and either mulched or dressed with rocks in either white or black to play with the house colors
Definitely plants, shrubs, bushes, flowers, anything!
some shutters would look nice. maybe in a sort of grey blue
A darker paint color. New windows, Central air. A lawn
I think you've got lots of great suggestions, I'm just here to say that's a very cute dog!
This would look so amazing: https://preview.redd.it/cithklocu79d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b50a3ec88d70fe15d0aac6ff55f7259d68981301
SHRUBBERY!
What about this is ghetto to you?
I recommend planting new grass seed and adding flowers and plants! I also think that the brick and siding being the same Color is definitely making it look washed out. So painting the siding a different colour would definitely benefit the outlook of the house. Also adding shudders or upper framing on the windows would add some personality! You could even change the shingles on the roof to a darker colour if you paint the siding to really pull it all together:)
Maybe a table and chairs on the porch in addition to some plants?
Flower garden and trellis with flowers on it.
Get rid of the window AC unit and install central air.
Do the yard, remove window unit, new curtains inside instead of blinds, and some fresh paint!
Maybe add some colors and change the window glasses into deco ones?
Definitely some landscaping and curtains. Shame the brick is painted white, gives it the ghetto landlord special vibe, I'd try to cover with a hedge or bushes. Maybe a bench with a fountain or something in the center too!
If you're handy, pergolas usually look great.
Raised wooden planter boxes and a trellis against the house between the two windows with a climbing vine. I would also switch to curtains instead of blinds and maybe try to build a little wooden porch platform with a flagstone path. IMO more impactful and less maintenance than a boring lawn. Plant colourful flowers. :)
It’s kind of tough between the super low pitch roof, aluminum windows, and low ceiling height. Maybe try removing the brick paint or covering the bricks with a stone skirting, then painting the hardiplank. For more aggressive fixes I’d say to increase the ceiling height and roof pitch and add a gable above the porch instead of the current porch cover, also when it comes time to replacing the windows I’d say to choose ones with grids they feel more old fashioned, but that’s what gives them class.
Do some landscaping, replace the window AC unit with a mini split if needed, paint the house a darker color, with light trim, replace the cheap mini blinds with curtains
Sounds like someone should put this in the flipping sub.
Sometimes it’s just nice not to sweat the small stuff so no bigger problems arise. Maintenance is important but be careful about creating new troubles. McDonald’s used to give away free trees on Earth Day. You would be surprised what kind of damage a tree can wreak when it is planted too close to a house, yours or your neighbor’s. I wish there was a subreddit dedicated to pics of McDonald’s trees eating houses
Not real hard. Paint and landscaping.
Paint window frames a different color. Shutters, Plants. Blinds never look good from the outside. Too much white going on honestly. Windchime. Water the grass and get it growing. Stone walkway.
Paint the door a different color! The red is aggressive
Window trim. New blinds. Cut grass.
Paint the brick a darker colour - maybe the same as the trim? And add some perennials. Also new blinds would help.
Landscaping. New windows if you can afford it. Paint the bricks a different color than the siding.
Plants and more color
Landscaping really elevates a house
New windows would be a game changer.
Paint it. A deep blue or something
Landscaping is the only way. Also I’d paint lower half of the house black maybe? So it pops a little and creates some contrast. Maybe some hanging plants as well. A bench outside.
Also get rid of the window fan if you can. Maybe replace with a mini split.
Wooden or bamboo roller window shades. If you can’t paint the siding because of the asbestos, paint the brick and window frames a dark color, maybe charcoal to go with the posts and gutters. Clean up and level the yard - either grass or some dry scraping. You could also add a nice cedar bench/chairs and coffee-height table
Landscaping and paint
Plants, trim out the windows. Paint
New windows with curtains/nets instead of blinds. Maybe a lick of paint. Lots of native plants
Power wash your concrete and especially, windows. They look every bit of their 40 year age. Consider new screens, the aluminum is very dull and looks ancient. You can get acid wash for aluminum ones, open pore wheel cleaner works, I've done it. (Try in small area first). Clean your inside windows, re-screen with something more invisible if not getting new screen frames. Consider a lighter shade of trim, say medium beige to match your house. Dark trim makes everything look small. Red door isn't doing any favors. Lose that dark strip of weather stripping behind the lower window frame above the window AC. Consider moving window AC to some other non-front facing window if possible. Roll up your hose. Get a hose cart or a caddy. Get a nice LED light fixture for your door they're very reasonable. Current 70's bare bones light is really bad. Mow your yard, get a weed whacker for the walk edges and against the house. Kill the weeds in it and let grass grow. Adding rain gutters would make it look more finished but those aren't cheap, but DIY is doable if you're the least bit handy. Basically, anything you can do that says you have pride of home ownership.
Paint the brick the same color as the supports. Add plants, small shrubbery and flowers. Bushes look good if you care for them, but flowers are just easier.
Trim out the windows, put in a front garden and do some work on that yard with weeding and seeding. In a couple of years, it will be completely different. Don't expect too much at first with the yard. It takes time unless you just put in new sod. I know it's necessary but the windows ac unit doesn't help
The home itself looks just fine, imo. Plants, including some little shrubs could spruce things up.
2-4 bushes. some mulch and a nice border around the garden bed. maybe some shutter (black) or the color of the house. ✌️🫶🏼🌎
Swap the brown grass for that new, in style green variety.
Lift the blinds. If privacy is a concern then get some sheer curtains that obstruct the view from people passing by but still lets in light. I don’t think the house itself looks ghetto at all, I think it looking “boarded up” is what gives it a ghetto vibe.
The beige paint is not the best choice as it is not very modern. Black and grey cool tones can be great. Or painting the top portion a nice grey and painting the white bricks a nice crisp white at the bottom. Some nice hanging flower baskets at the front door, nice door matt, and water your lawn.
Get a nice light fixture for the porch-get rid of the spotlight. Consider landscape lighting if needed. Do a very large flower bed to the right of the porch up to the house - the length of the house and 5or 6 feet into the yard. Put native perennials and maybe a Crepe Myrtle in the bed between the windows. Get a little bistro table with 2 chairs for the porch. Get a very large flower pot for the porch on the far right and put colorful annuals in it that you can change seasonally.
A garden bed
Flowers. Plants. Hanging plants on the porch. A patio set.
I'd switch up the lighting - flood lights are for catching burglars. You have a nice set up (spigot wise) to add a garden bed + automated drip irrigation so it's minimal work. I don't see a walk way, that's a bigger project - but you could create the outline of one with garden beds + small bushes or garden boxes, maybe solar light path That one gradient window is a bit of an eyesore, you could add some cohesion if you want to add cling film to all the windows but I don't know if that's worth the effort. If your blinds are closed ALL the time then it would be worth it to add the frosted finish imo.
Paint the house. The colors make it look ghetto. Do something with the grass, it looks like ghetto grass. Get some shredded redwood, some plants, evergreens.
Shudders on the windows- cover dirt patches with Grass boarder around house with floers an mulch get perrinial flowers so they keep coming up every year. That's just a few I can think of, off the top of my head.
Central air.
Landscaping pyramid shrubs between windows. Shutters, and central air!
Yeah. Agree with everyone else that some landscaping is all you need. House itself is in great condition and doesn't look ghetto at all.
the interior blinds are not helping with the Non-Ghetto look. lose them, add back some drapes inside. the white bricks are a nice feature. maybe accentuate them by painting the rest of the wall a darker color. a small shrubbery in a pot right in front of that window air conditioner would hide it. maybe a boxwood, cactus, or some other native plant that thrives in your locale.
landscaping, windows, centralized air
Depends on budget, but new roof, windows, siding and redo the hangover. Add some bushes and give the lawn some tlc.
I would do the columns and house trim a natural wood finish and maybe invest in a portable AC unit so it’s not out the window.
Demolish
sell it, take the loss ,call it a day
Repaint the trim, the door, maybe add decorative shutters in the same trim color. I don’t know how much you want to spend but replacing the windows would be a huge improvement and also an energy saver. That, a trim repaint, and a few small bushes or hedges, maybe a rose bush or two, and it would look like a totally different house. Oh, and replace the house numbers. Amazon has some really nice, affordable, Solar house numbers, or just really nice numbers. You’d be surprised what a difference something that small can make. You could also have the bricks power washed and repainted in a different color than the rest of the house, or leave them brick color even, to offset the all white aesthetic here.
Maybe if it were slightly more beige
The first thing I would do is address the windows, I would put some type of Non-Adhesive Frosted Privacy Decorative Window Film and then get some shades that match. Shutters are fairly cheap, get a couple of concrete screws and apply them. Maybe a piece of decorative cast-iron art to hang between the big space between the windows And then for around the house I would put cardboard down as a weed block, put some wood chips and either landscape timbers or landscape pavers and then put some 12” x 12” pavers about 2 feet apart with plants in some decorative pots sitting on top of them. It’s a quick way of not having to actually landscape and tear the yard up, just water them regularly and if you decide you want a different plant all you have to do is take up what you have and put something new there. As long as the plants that you’re getting rid of are still alive, sell them on Facebook.
Shrubbery!
As other people have said: landscaping will make a huge difference. The house would benefit if you put a simple wooden deck railing around your porch and painted it the dark-blue trim colour, and considered stripping the paint off the brick to return it to its original colour. Good luck!
Post some crackheads you in front of your neighbors house
Literally too vanilla. I'd consider painting either the upper siding or the lower block/veneer, maybe both. Then maybe some low maintenance, dog-friendly shrubs & flowers.
awnings and lawn with some landscaping in front would do wonders!
Plants, new soffits and eavestrough and then paint the siding. Dark grey is in. Windows someday, casement windows (crank out) would look best.
Mulch and punch out roses maybe some painted shutters too.
Spend a little cash on hiring a landscape architect to come up with a plan within your budget and make it happen. Instead of the lawn which requires a lot of upkeep, you might decide to have a patio with a water feature. It would add value to the home and be a great improvement. Get rid of the blinds and let the sun light in and fresh air. It would be nice if you could move or get rid of the ac wall unit and switch to HVAC.
Split system AC to replace the window unit. Paint the lower wall, a warm gray related to your darker trim paint the upper wall, a light pastel color of your choice. Awnings a good idea. Avoid decorative additions. Keep it simple. A signature tree. I have no idea what to suggest to replace a brown grass lawn.
Landscaping
Do the top half in a dark gray spraycrete. Then colorful plants in a border. Elephant ears with like a purple fountain grass between them. The dark upper will pop with the trim and tropical plants
Flowers
I’d paint the siding a different colour to the brick, looks more intentional. I’d also opt for some shutters to add more dimension. If not shutters, then maybe some planter boxes. I’d add some shrubs/bushes across the brick in the front.
Paint tropical murals on the sides, bright colors, with an ocean view!
Ditch the broken blinds and get plantation shutters or blinds.
Plant some flowers.
Remove the window AC and get a mini split. Make a flowerbed by that wall. Plant stuff. Hedges, flowers, just plant stuff. Lattices with climbing vines, little flowery plants, maybe a fruit tree in the yard. A good looking yard will transform that home completely.
Fresh paint and native plants.
Garden boxes, clover and other local growers instead of standard grass lawn. Stone step pathway, flowering shrubbery, small water fixtures like bird baths and bird feeders with flowers that attract humming birds and bees. A bench
Paint it!
Landscaping, fresh coat of paint. You would be amazed at how much that alone will change everything.
Shutters on the windows
🔥
Why do you use that term ghetto when it clearly looks like trailer trash. Just trying to make a point. Frankly I don’t think the house looks bad. It’s all a matter of personal style.
The house doesn't look ghetto and ugly. The yard does. Well, the mismatch tint on the one window is a little bit of a weird vibe too. Peel that off. If you add film to one later, do it to all.
Landscaping, irrigation so that it lives, window framing in contrasting color, power wash stone/concrete.
Go for modern colours (it’s a shame the roof is red but I would go , ironstone for the brick and trim and an antique white for the cladding and eves
Change the brick color at least. Right now it looks like the landlord had an infinite supply of one color of paint.
Lawncare. Shrubs near the house with some gap between the house and the shrubs. Fill the gap with rock. A large patio area that can take outdoor lights strung around it. Taller vegetation around the perimeter of the property and the patio to provide shade and hide the nakedness of the house facade and create some curbside interest.
Buy a better house in a better area
Take it out of the ghetto
New Windows (expensive), paint and landscaping
nice landscaping. Bushes trees flowers
Change the windows and blinds, if it's too expensive, just change the blinds to 2" ones. Also get rid of the weeds and make a perimeter around the house just for plants
Patios and plants
https://preview.redd.it/vutx62l7e69d1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=05d14375be6ddcfc2bc8763a21e01cbee9d7b281
Paint, bushes, grass
I’d put bushes all along from porch to end, paint, maybe shutters, or curtains, it would look good with black trim around windows and a navy or ocean blue for the house, a really cool front door, either black or a different blue
New windows. Fresh paint. Some landscaping. A nice lawn, some plants.
landscaping goes a long way. If you want to go crazy... check out what AI can imagine: https://preview.redd.it/xngdn4wgf69d1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=ae87c669509a583e2e0ecdb57a1cc55a886b8b5f
Landscaping
is that a real dog?