If you have a huge budget, get yourself a good architect and designer and start from scratch. I guess this house is very deep? or how many stories does it have behind this garage? Judging from your ideabooks, you have some very grand looks. Without being able to use space in front of the garage, you will need a very huge budget. I am guessing there is some sort of city "set-back" limitations? So many questions. Get a good local architect who has done some renovations you can go see and has good relationships with local inspectors and county authorities. Depending on where you are located, you will need those relationships in order to get design and code and inspection approvals on anything you consider doing with this property. Once you get a plan, then you can get some better advice here.

Thecrazeecow good afternoon! You are right, the facade does not really look beautiful right now. Stylistics renewal facade can be a lot, it all depends on your taste preferences.

We recommend that you contact an experienced architect (architectural bureau) who will develop a facade renovation project.

"It honestly really needs a lot of work on the curb appeal. What would I change? Windows?"

Raise the roof and insert a new home? Where do you find these?

Wouldn’t it make more sense to find a house you like more and which needs less change?

Where is he front door? Is the structure to the right part of the same house? Can you post a pic from another angle showing more of the front elevation? Of course, hiring an architect is the best idea, but you may get some helpful ideas if you post more information.

How many houses are you renovating with big budgets for the exterior? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4965983/how-would-i-make-this-home-more-french

I like the matching car.

Maybe OP meant to say I don't have a huge budget? But do plan for at least a nose job.

It is just cosmetic remodeling and a good architect that specializes in exterior designs can do wonders to this home!

The OP has posted several similar dilemmas with large houses.

"It is just cosmetic remodeling"

Did you look at the op's picture of the home?

I appreciate the few constructive comments above, but that isn't what I am particularly looking for. Houzz is a great platform for users to seek design advice and find unique ways to solve them. I totally understand that nobody has the same taste! The point is to give constructive criticism for the betterment of all of our homes and other spaces. I understand that the internet isn't a bland serious place, and I also understand that there is certainly room for humor. The problem is that there is a very thin line between mild humor and plain destructive insults that just do not make that much sense. Yes, I do have 3 larger homes that I am trying to sell off. The main reason is the petroleum crisis up here, leaving many who relied on the industry with larger, "investment" homes that depreciate like a stock market crash. I know that I can hire an architect, and I have hired several, but there is really no harm in asking the internet about it. I currently just am seeking casual advice and creative idea coming from multiple people instead of just one architect's opinion. I am sorry about the confusion here.

Investment properties in an area with fast-dropping prices may be snapped up by bargain hunters who have a long range plan. If those are your target buyers, then just clean up, paint, make repairs, and plan for whatever landscaping updates are reasonable for your climate given your market date. Putting a lot of money into exterior remodelling is not likely to pay back when you sell, as long as the properties are not truly odd in appearance by their neighborhood standards. I'd say forget the architects and spend the money on good painters and good landscapers.

OP: I had a look at your postings on all three houses. If these are all investment properties, then I think you're approaching things the wrong way. What you have aren't really design issues, they're financial ones. You need to sit down and work out where you are financially. The whole point of an investment is to buy low, and sell high. If you bought high, and now have to sell in a low market, putting more money into a depreciating asset doesn't make sense. Clean the houses up, sell, take the loss, and stem the flow of money out. If, on the other hand, you don't absolutely need to sell, it would make sense to simply rent out these properties and wait for the market to recover. You will not recoup the kind of dollars needed to beautify this house or Frenchify the one in your last posting when you're dealing with a bargain-hunter's market.

Thanks, I appreciate it! It's just a little rough right now with the market going haywire right now.

Rent it! Definitely.

I currently administer a construction mortgage placed by investors on an older home to finance major renovations. They did a nice job. Unfortunately, the market dropped like a stone following government measures to "cool" the housing market. So they're renting it out in the meantime.