I wanted to do an update. We were wondering if we should do some updates on our home even if we planned to move in a couple of years. We decided to go ahead and make our home more comfortable and pleasant for use to live in. I realize we might not get the money back, but in the mean time we are enjoying our house a lot more. We got a new heatpump and AC a year ago, it cost $4,100. I noticed our electric bills have been lower and the system works very well. We also got the kitchen cabinets refaced, and all new full extention drawers and knobs. That cost about $4,500. We updated our old range and OTR microwave for about $1,000. We had done the countertops, backsplash, sink, faucet, and floor about 5 years ago. In the bathrooms we got granite countertops, undermount sinks, and new faucets, and put frames around both mirrors. That cost $2,000. My husband raised the height of the countertop in the masterbath and built a large drawer with an electric stip in it for my hair dryer and flat iron. I stained the cabinets a deeper color to finish updating the look. We had replaced the floors with heated floor tiles in a travertine looking tile earlier. Lastly, we replaced all the windows (I decovered several of them were mildly fogged). That cost $4,800. We also replaced a couple of ceiling fans. We paid cash for everything and I think we got good value for what we did. I am much happier with my home now.

this isn't a spanish style home. you have some arches on the back addtion part. that's it. I mean, it's like walking around w/castanets on your fingers while wearing blue jeans and a tshirt, and calling yourself a flamenco dancer. no offense. If you want more spanish, get a spanish roof tile, get new windows for the front part, spanish style door, and a mediterranea landscape. see how they did this look? or this one. you'd have to stain that concrete driveway too But aside from that, I'd just go w/the vintage mid century look. Like this one: (is this home up in the north part of LA? montecito hgts? Lincoln park area? looks like it. ) First thing I'd do is paint. from the pic it looks like a greenish white. why do you want fencing on top of the wall? Have you checked w/the city first to see if it's allowed? if it is, ask about the spacing of the fencing. sometimes you need a gap in between the planks. If you must do fencing, then make it this style: I'd paint the cinder block wall a darker color and then do your vinyl wood look fencing on top of that. I'd paint the lower portion a dark charcoal, and do a warm, horizontal wood-look plank on top paint your stucco and trim a more modern color that works w/the wood tone I love the dark and white w/the wood

Instead of drawing out a plan spend your time refining your requirements. How many bedrooms, bathrooms, other rooms is just the start. How large do you need your bedroom to be? Do you want a tub and a shower or shower only in the master. How much counterspace and storage space do you need in the master bath? How many linear feet of hanging storage in the master closet? How many drawers needed in the master closet? Do you need a tv in the master or prefer one without? How do you like your bed positioned? Do you need a walk out to the private beach from the master. Go through every square inch of your current home and define what works and what doesn't work. Go look at homes for sale (new builds and resales). Take a measuring tape along. Compare what you have to what the rooms in the homes you visit have. Go to all of your friends and family members who have homes and talk to them. What do they love and what do they not love about their home? What would they change and why? When going through your plans be realistic with what you really need and how you really live. Read the new construction threads on Houzz. Look at new builds that are in your area, talk to the owners. Who designed and who built their home, Did they have issues, would they recommend the architect they used, the builder they used, the interior designer they used?

Brick is a wonderful no maintenance exterior, so don't create extra work and expense for yourself down the road (repeatedly) by painting it. The siding doesn't look bad, but the roof color is a little unfortunate. Until it needs to be replaced you'll have to live with it. Remove the shutters, you don't need them (they don't fit the windows) and they're probably not original. Get rid of the curlique door. Whether you remove the whole screened in porch is up to you. If you're never going to use it you might as well get rid of it. Then work on the landscaping until it's time to replace the roof. When it is time, you will need to stay in the brown family because of the brick, but you can do better than what is there.