"cost consensus exterior changes"

Start with the definition of this. You could very very easily exceed the purchase price and still not have it updated. What area of the country?

How old is that roof? Pictures aren't close enough, but I am guessing it is BUR (i.e. tar and chip)? If so, I wouldn't spend money on replacing stuff that isn't busted until you save enough to budget in a roof replacement. BUR are expensive to replace and you have a unique opportunity to improve the efficiency of the home when the roof is off.

I quite like the home and even the color. It looks like a great home and on some fantastic property.

Congrats on the purchase.

Looks like a great place!

Can you post pics without resizing them? That way we can see the detail a bit better. Post them here in the comment section.

Congrats on your recent purchase. This is an exciting time for you :)

First question is . . . What is your budget? Does it include new siding or will you just be painting what's already there? As asked earlier, do you need a new roof? Converting the carport to a garage would definitely be high on my list of things to do. I picture a frosted glass garage door with dark framing.

I could see adding some stacked stone and changing the siding out to a horizontal cedar siding with no overlap.

I don't really see brick being used on this house. If you're happy with the windows and they are in good shape then I would leave them as is.

If you're interested in seeing some virtual makeovers of your house check out my web site, Creative Visual Concepts

I can show you how your house could look with various changes incorporated.

The pictures are TINY! Can't see much, except the house seems to be an unusual orange stain. Can you post better (larger) pictures?

Thank you for the comments! And input. Here is more info:

-Location: AR, on an elevated riff, backyard is a forest preserve over the AR river

-Roof was JUST replaced in June and is an architectural shingle

-By cost I mean 10-15k

-Want to work with what I have but add some detail, LOVE the idea of mixed material to follow trend of the other homes in the area

Thank you! These photos are much better. They are larger and can be expanded to see details. You have a fabulous house. Don't jump in with exterior changes right away. Live with it a while to get the feel. These homes were built to be one with their surroundings so asking the house to stand out more is a contrary to the original design.

Also, be cautious going with mixed materials. That is a current fad that is (hopefully) on the way out. In my opinion it is very difficult to get the mixed material elevations to work right and very, very few do. Most just throw stone (and other materials) up on the house in random locations which really confuses the eye. So you get attention, but in a negative way. Your home is fantastic, don't muck it up with random materials.

I would live in it as is for a year or so. Determine EXACTLY what you don't like over that time period. $10-15k will not do much and you would be better served to keep saving and thinking of the big picture.

Wow! I love this place :). I love the roof line and the windows. If it were my house, I would do 3 things right off the bat...1. landscaping is going to help tremendously. that huge amount of concrete driveway needs to be cleaned and then landscaped around the periphery of house to make us forget about how much concrete. 2. The front porch needs to look more cohesive and part of the design. It could be pretty great for not much money and would look purposeful. The architecture is awesome on this place...we should work with it. 3. I would paint. I'm not a huge fan of the color (that's just me) and I would add a second color and possibly some wood accents somewhere, but definitely a different color with a contrasting trim to give you that "mixed" result without breaking the bank with new siding. In addition, let's do killer lighting that draws attention where we want it and goes architecturally. We do full virtual designs and pick everything down to the color and deck/railing and then photoshop to show you what it would look like. Check us out! Super reasonable and will save you in the end from making bad decisions. www.brickandbatten.com

With the larger pictures it looks as though your siding is in good shape. However, it is ummm . . . a bit red. I could see staining it to tone down the red. I still think you could make some stone around the base work.

More modern railings and a new stain color would do wonders. I don't think you need gutters with that overhang. What color is your roof?

Agree with most of the comments except for the front porch railing. I would change that today. it really detracts from the house and just looks odd to me. Maybe look at cable railing. And paint the base of the porch something more in line with the rest of the house.

That’s a lot of railing and cable railing is not cheap, that could easily eat half your budget. Time to prioritize what is most important. I would be addressing the garage since that would be most important to me.

Your budget is 10-15K?

It would cost this much or more to paint the house in my location.

I would be hesitant to do mixed materials on a house that was originally one material and a very distinct style, just to try to change it's appearance to "updated". It would take a huge budget to change the character of the house enough that it didn't look like what it is. It's a perfectly fine example of its' kind so I would work with it.

Toddinmn, not the back railing, just the shorrt section in front

I like your home, even the color of the siding. I find the entrance to be a distraction to my eye. Perhaps you could rework the railing to something open and inviting?

Will two cars fit now or will you need to move posts and the outer wall of the carport?

In playing around with some stone and stain colors a taupe stain on the wood, a stacked stone and a dark, dark green on the trim and windows, with some frosted glass garage doors and a deep red front door would look really good.

@Denitra thank you for coming back and giving such insight! I love your inspo pic you added. I saved it to my file. I will take your advice and only make changes that compliment the nature on my lot. It's funny because all the homes have such muted colors, I never noticed the WHY around that. Thank you again!

@Millworkman thank you for the advice...I am getting consistent feedback around waiting and enjoying my new home for awhile :) I could save more money to make more substantial decisions

@brick&batten love your website! I like that home with the wood door and accented glass panels! Thank you for the comments. The Treehouse aspect of the home is what attracted me. I will evaluate how I can use curb appeal to elevate the home. I saved your comment to consider those changes

@houssan stain the siding? The roof is a grey blue, it's the color that they painted the front porch. Thanks for advice

@lkbum_cw there is a cable feature in the home with dark stained wood. I can play off of that....never thought about that! Thank you!!

@apple_pie_order I'm not 100% sure. I think 2 standard cars fit without needing to move the posts.

@Kevin LOVE! Contacting you for mockup l! Thank you :)