I would go for house 1, being able to walk to places is such a plus for me. Where we are now I can walk to the library in about 30 min (40 if the dog gets to sniff and pee on everything). It's another 10 min to get coffee and a donut (since I walked all that way) and too often our dog just isn't up for it. I wish we were a little closer to everything, about 1 mile closer and I'd walk for coffee every Saturday and Sunday. When I was in my 20's I wanted to live on acreage away from everything. Now that I'm in my 40's I like being near people and things. I love sitting on the porch for an hour and seeing 4 or more people/couples walking their dogs, kids, or just themselves. I don't know why, either :) Also, I would get more use out of a bigger garage than a guest house :). I have more toys and tools than out of town guests, and a separate structure is another thing to maintain. Bear in mind that I'm also anti-vacation-home (for us, not for everyone else). And a view is something you enjoy all the time. We aren't even on a hill and we have a view of woods and distant farmland off our back deck. There is something restful and enriching about a view you like (or love). So I would buy house number 1.

Maybe just prime and paint the barn the neutral white like on the yellow house trim. Match the shutter color and then when you decide and have the budget you can move forward with the entire change.

Hi TIffany, first let me say how sorry I am you had to go through the fire and then get Covid, not to mention the gypsy-life. I'm glad you came through it with so much drive and enthusiasm. A lot of people would have just given up. So, you will have a dining room in that room. One of the things you could do to bring in more light is to have some lovely built-ins constructed (don't know your style) facing the window with mirrored doors and maybe a mix of clear glass as well to house your dishes, trays and ornaments. I assume you will have a chandelier (light!) and possibly some down lighting or spot lighting. I saw an interesting dining room, though I doubt this is your style, but they painted the ceiling a metallic gold. It was fairly muted but it reflected whatever light was in the room in a subtle way. I saw another application where the designer created a coffered ceiling but instead of paint the little squares were mirrored. It was lovely because in daylight it picked up the green of the outdoors and cast it about the room. You could also hang pictures with picture lighting on top, paint the room a fairly deep rich color and have the pictures pop that way. You might be able to do all of the above if you're careful. Also, could you modify the window and have a glass canopy at a 90 degree angle extend out above it so that even more light will enter. Alternatively you could put in a small bay window there which might bring in more light. Not sure what you're going for in terms of style.

I don't recommend sticky traps but if you have a critter stuck on one, a bucket of water is quicker and IMO less traumatic than freezing. Now, as to how to get critters to leave. I know this works for birds: Not only do you open a door for them to run out, but close all the blinds and curtains and make it the only patch of light. Birds in particular will fly about towards any patch of sky. Block them all off and they will head for the one remaining patch. Someone earlier in the thread had a squirrel coming in the chimney. Doesn't it have a steel damper to close it off? If not, I sure hope you're in a tropical climate where you never run central heating because that's a huge vent for hot air to pour out of the house to be replaced by cold drafts from every possible crack and gap. If you were in a tropical climate you wouldn't have a fireplace.