Also, what style of house is this? Is this colonial?

Too bad about the tree right in front. It's ill-placed. If it weren't such a nice tree, I'd say take it out. It's hiding half your house, making it look neglected.

One thing you could do is add an appropriately-sized sidewalk. You could widen the existing walkway with several rows of (matching) bricks on both sides. And lengthen and widen the front stoop. Your handsome home needs a handsome approach.

The tree is going to have to be removed. Its roots are going to be an issue later I think so removing it is part of the plan for sure.

I agree with tree removal. It is really taking away from the house and it could cause damage.

Would a white picket fence be a good idea?

"Would a white picket fence be a good idea?"

Not in my view!! That is not a picket fence sort of house :-)

So no fence around the front at all?

Another question I had was..........what can I do to clean up the brick? It looks old and musty. I've heard of power washing and brick restoration...what's the difference?

Also, the only tree I will remove is the one in the front. The two flanking the house will absolutely stay!

I agree that this is not a white picket kind of house. A black fancy wrought iron fence maybe.

I think your house needs shutters. I would also get some planters to flank the front door and put some ferns or flowers in them, to make it more inviting. I can't tell exactly what's over your front door, but adding a classical pediment, I think would help define it.

In the evening

I will add, we are just buying this place...its very obviously neglected but it has a lot of potential and I think it could look beautiful with the right amount of love!

Some emphasis on the front door and entry way would help. It kind of fades into the brick background as it is now. Maybe a bright colored door and some colorful container plantings to match. And my standard suggeston to widen that walkway!

I love the idea of widening the walkway...I looked up some pictures and I could line the walkway with brick/stones and lights. Would lights look strange?

Brick is a no-maintenance material and shouldn't need restoration or maintenance unless it is very old. Not sure what you mean by it looking musty - I think it's just not a bright colored brick. Power washing could easily damage the brick or the mortar.

How old is the brick? Can you post a close up sunlight photo of anything that you think needs repair?

I think the brick itself is fine!

It's possible the tree could just be limbed up instead of removed. Shutters would look good, but be sure you have them properly sized and installed. Remove the hedges from the front of the house. A landscape architect would be a good investment here,

My first thought was to paint the front door (and add some planters). Right now, to me, the front door fades into obscurity.

OMG this is SOOOO helpful! I can at least envision it!

Do you think a pediment with pillars on both sides would be a good idea? The door is set a little deeper...not sure how to word it but would it look odd to put entrance decor like that?

NO shutters! Look at those window openings--there is no way a shutter can fit both the window and the opening. The opening has a curved top, then a bit of stucco filler, then a rectangular window. It looks like the windows were replaced at one time but with a cheap stock size and an amateur solution to fill in the top space. Shutters just draw attention to that hack.

I like the color of the house and the lines of it. I'd move the front light to the front wall instead of being shoehorned into a too-small space, and maybe make them a flanking pair. And not white and frilly.

I would call an arborist and have him judiciously thin that tree. It is always nice to have shade. But, I have a suspicion (by zooming in on the closeup) that it's a Callery Pear (Bradford Pear). At that size, it's getting near the end of its life. They're good for maybe 20 years and then they fall apart--whole sections of the tree just peel off in storms because the branching structure is weak. If that's the case, get rid of it.

I am so sorry if I sound ignorant here BUT I don't understand. Can shutters not be nailed to the building?

I agree with everything else you advised, thank you!

some ideas:

Most of the time I say take off the shutters, but this house would look so much better. Wood shutters on hinges are much more authentic. Getting metal ones and nailing them to the house, so don't bother, that would be a step back. But wood shutters are not cheap, so it might not be in your budget.

I would cover the transom over the door. It is an unusual feature. I image it adds some light into the front hall.

I would paint the trim a lighter color to highlight the detail around the windows.

Thank you Doug for this! The second picture looks like people actually live there lol I love the small bushes out front!

Oops. I just realized there is no transom over the door, so I removed it.

THANK YOU GROVERAXLE for the visual...for some reason being able to see it gives me hope. I am so excited to get to work on this...going to get my research on!

You asked about a pediment for the door. I wouldn't do that here since your doorway matches the windows. I would definitely move the light and put coach lights on each side of the door.

Remove the bitty boxes from the base of the trees. Trees don’t grow out of boxes.

I agree ... get rid of all raised planter-"edgings"/"curbs" and do the planting directly into grade level ground. A porch roof would be an asset for its function "and appearance. I would resist the temptation to plant shrubbery along the walk. Take a look at 5-15 year old properties that have it and see if you think it helps the entrance look more welcoming. Usually, it is the opposite. It engulfs the walk and makes it look foreboding. Your stoop and walk definitely need to be widened.

I like many of Yardvaark's suggestions, though I am not a fan of that particular entry since it looks undersized to my eye. Try widening the walk and adding a generous landing, making the front beds deeper, and limbing up the tree in front after consulting with a qualified and licensed arborist to see if it is healthy. I think that all three trees are assets to the home. I am not a fan of walkways lined with plants. They all too often crowd the walkway, interrupt the view to the house, are additional maintenance, and make mowing a bit more work as they divide the yard into two separate areas. Do this much and then live there for a year with the changes before you decide whether the tree needs to go or shutters need adding. I like the current clean look of the architecture, and that type of shallow hip roof doesn't need the shutters to look appropriate. I would rather see a slightly larger, more classic looking roofed entry than shutters if given the choice to dress up the front view, and it would be of more practical value as well.

Paint it a brighter or at least a lighter color. I don’t think I like white. Cheerful blooms in a pot or bed near the door will work also.

I wouldn't call it foreboding. It just doesn't scream "enter here" like it should. I would widen the whole entry area leading up to the doorway and enhance with plantings with color.. And perk up the color of the door.

You could add trim surrounding the brick opening and paint it, and everything within the opening, as the trim color. I like white as trim & door color.