GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is better than "Street View," and is more likely to be available, especially in other than major metro areas. Most states have GIS programs in place or well under way. They usually are linked to property record databases. It is great to be able to look at the property lines and buildings, all overlayed with a satellite view of the area. We used GIS extensively during our last two property purchases. It saved us many hours of driving around, only to find the property in question was undersireable due to location and/or neighbors. Google GIS and your location/state name.

I used to leave my back yard gate in Venice unlocked because I never expected anyone to wander into my back yard. However, my neighbor told me that a couple of teenage boys (surfers) went into my yard and stole three or four mangoes from my tree. They told my neighbor (who saw them) that they knew me, and when he asked them what my name was, they ran off with the mangoes. I was pretty upset about that. The neighbor's somewhat feeble father-in-law (who lived in the garage apartment in back) once came into my back yard, knocked on my kitchen door and demanded that my housemate Bernard take him to the bank so that he could get some money to buy a steak. Bernard does not know how to drive or have a car or drivers' license, and so he told me that I needed to take this man to the bank. I told Bernard that that would be kidnapping and that I would do nothing of the kind. I told my neighbor about this, and he said that his FIL did escape from time to time and get lost, and they would have a difficult time trying to find him. I did start locking my back yard gate after that. These days I have to leave by gate unlocked when L.A. DWP comes to check my electric meter. I had a friend from New York who said that when he had a car, he always left it unlocked so that it would not get broken into.

@Anna & @NHBabs- I was trying to say add an above window pergola...not add a window =) We definitely don't have the room for that inside. I think with Dougs design a pergola would be too much though. We can definitely do a smaller, more affordable version of that gorgeous front deck. We are experienced DIYers and can do much or all of the work ourselves and with a few changes its completely affordable. I actually have more of the pavers from our walkway that can be added to the front area to widen that landing out some, though we won't go as wide on the left side as is shown because our yard gets narrower there against the neighbors yard. We can do stone that matches our existing stone out back on the steps and instead of stone columns we can do thick wood posts with black metal caps, and the affordable black aluminum railings that we had planned anyway, which would match our new back deck perfectly. We have considered stone in the chimney at some point in the future, though it won't be next year. It won't be quite as grand as Dougs design but gives a very similar look for alot less $$. I think to the left of the door we can add a long, covered, decorative bench box for wood storage in that space. That way we have wood for a week in the winter without trudging to the fire wood shelters out back every day or so. (We have 2 wood stoves that get used alot in the winters here.) We never use our entrance unless we are going out the front door for mail, and all our friends use the back entrance as there is ample parking out there. I can see us sitting out there on the deck with a glass of wine in the shade though. Since the only visitors we get out front are deliveries and people selling stuff, we probably don't need to add anything for sheltering them lol. Still struggling with house color. Currently its a pale yellowish color my husband hates (ditto for me) and it clashes with our new stone. We were thinking maybe something more earthy in a brown/gray...meaning not just brown or gray, something with a mix of both. Or maybe a darker beige. We'd like to darken it up a bit. The shingles are a dark gray but do have a little brown/tan in them along with the black and gray. Its called Canadian Driftwood.

There is an ensuing school of thought about shutters, that they must appear authentic, as if one could put them to use -- even if they are literally non-functional and would never be used. This school of thought discounts entirely that shutters have morphed to a non-functional, decorative use as a trim device. Sometimes, they are even perforated (as a corn crib would be) and would not have the slightest capability of protecting a window from weather. The net effect of using decorative (let's not even call them shutters anymore; they are "window-flankers") is that they provide a means of adding interest to an otherwise dull looking home. One might evaluate the finished appearance on the basis of whether they like the home better with them, or without ... and to heck with all those that are categorically against window-flankers under all circumstances for certain styles of architecture, or whether they are authentic. Still, one must be cognizant that window-flankers, in order to look right, must follow some rules of proportion and details, as all architectural elements do. Even the arch is not awesome in all circumstances. Wrongly applied, it can look very loopy and dorky. The purists about shutters will eventually be denigrating columns because they are no longer made out of bundles of reeds, as they once were. Get ready for it.