Some further details would help everyone give you good advice: Please indicate North, so we know what kind of sunlight the front receives. What kind of soil and drainage (sandy or clay, well-drained or do some areas puddle)? Are there deer in the neighborhood? What kind of "look" would you like and how much time and effort are you willing to put into regular maintenance. If you can hold off until the big tree has been removed (poor thing, someone didn't think long term), a photo taken straight-on for a full-face view of your home and front yard would be very helpful, and in the long run you may be glad you waited to get and post that information. In the meantime, you could take note of homes/yards in your area that are to your liking and what features you like about them. The trees in the back provide a nice backdrop for your home, helping to make it look more settled in rather than perched upon the site, now you just need to work out a plan to wrap that around to embrace the front. I'm partial to plants native to our region, as they are generally very well-suited to our environmental conditions, therefore requiring less input/maintenance on your part, and they support our songbirds, butterflies and other beneficial insects ... But there are lots of opinions and options out there. What a wonderful opportunity you have before you ... Don't rush it ... Enjoy!

Do these hydrangeas and other plants still have greenery in winter? When I was landscaping my last house, I was told it was probably better to have evergreens next to the house so you had something to look at through all seasons. You wouldn't need to have evergreens straight across, but a few in strategic places would keep up the curb appeal through all of the seasons. I think you would possibly want evergreens on either side of the stairs for that reason. I think hydrangeas might be great elsewhere.

Thanks for all the insightful comments! A little more detail on the home: The lot goes back past the fence (all of that dense shrubbery/bamboo at the end of the picture is still on the property) including a driveway with parking pad for 3+ cars right behind the fence). Another major detail is that the interior has been 60% stripped to the studs already because the previous owners were in the process of converting it from an illegal duplex to a single-family home. They abandoned the project last year when they were relocated to Canada for work and it has sat on the market since. They replaced windows, fixed up the exterior, stabilized the foundation, and removed a few interior walls (adding beams to open up the floorplan). I've also spoken to two contractors who believe there is space to add ~750 square feet just from the tax maps and applicable zoning ordinances. Unfortunately, adding square footage would take away from the back yard (which is currently a good size but not as huge as some of the ones in the neighborhood). Either way, I plan on spending a lot of time/budget on the back yard to maximize the limited space! I'll have to talk to a Realtor to see if a nice but tiny backyard would deter too many homebuyers in the area. Here is what I've gathered from your comments! Railings need to go up ASAP Shutters might work, but first I need to add a full-size porch or at least a nice awning over the door. I'll get quotes for both, but leaning towards a nice awning in order to have budget leftover for the rest of the yard. Raised plant beds might not look as good as I thought, mature foundation shrubbery might be a good alternative! Add a small fence or hedge to cover the AC units and meters. Consider a picket fence across the front yard (the three houses to the left all have these, so it should be allowed). My favorite idea: plant hedging or bushes alongside the retaining wall to create some privacy and division from the street. We went for a walk in the neighborhood yesterday and a lot of the corner lots have this! Last - I definitely need to hire a landscape architect to help me figure all of this out. I might have to come up with a phased approach depending on the internal renovation costs, but over the next 2-3 years I can see all of this happening! I am not in the position where I can afford to drop $600K for a house that still needs updating or $800K for turn-key (what the neighborhood is going for), so I'm looking for homes that need a little more creativity and TLC that what a typical investor is willing to give! Links to a couple of neighborhood houses on the market for reference: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/396-Garden-Ln-NW-Atlanta-GA-30309/35908670_zpid/ https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/355-Lofton-Rd-NW-Atlanta-GA-30309/35908720_zpid/ https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/393-Deering-Rd-NW-Atlanta-GA-30309/35908609_zpid/ (across the street on that main road - likely a tear down)

Clean the awning, clean and probably paint the soffits, gutters and overhangs. Think about painting the window trim and screen door black or something fun like blue, or at least a fresh coat of white. (don't forget the window in the foundation - it looks to really need paint!) Have all windows sparkling clean - if you keep the blinds, make sure that they are even and open. Or, the front door looks like it might be vintage, and it would be great to have that visible if it is in good condition - so remove the screen door (the style doesn't match the house anyway). If you want to keep a screen door, get one that will show more of the front door. Have an attractive, properly sized porch light. Is that some stained or leaded glass in the front window? Could you rig some light behind it, to make it stand out? The brick foundation of the porch looks like it needs cleaning but - do NOT powerwash old brick and mortar! Wash with a brush and gentler stream of water (a hose end sprayer is fine.) Google for the recommended method. I would like to replace the stair railing with one that matches or is close to the porch railing and paint all of the railing the same color - white, blue or black. You could also clean the concrete steps and replace the scalloped hosta bed edging with Belgian block to look better. The goal is to give the immediate impression of fresh, clean, vintage elements well maintained, and attractive.