I just 1031's into this property for another sober living home. It looks boring. The shingles look rust colored in the photo but in the sunlight they are RED!

The whole side along the street is gravel parking. (more boring!)

Looking for suggestions on how to improve the curb appeal - more comfortable and inviting.

zillow.com/homedetails/1824-Home-Ave-Columbus-IN-47201/85095581_zpid/

(side note: I did not buy this several years ago before renovation when it was $37,000!)

Opine away!

BRAD

Sober living home and you are that worried about looks?

I don't follow.

Are whiskey barrel planters allowed in a sober living house?

The photo looks like it could use new paint.

A rail on the porch would dress it up, and use vinyl fencing for the railing so it doesn't ever need to be painted and make it skinny and pointed on the top so they don't sit on it.

If you do any sort of planting, then that will have to be taken care of. At least with lawn, you run a mower around it and you are done with landscaping for the week.

Your purchase is a solid winner, in anyone's book. However a few upgrades may be added over time. The sidewalk in front of the house during wet/snowing condition could lead to some slip and falls.

I would explore concrete scoring, as permitted by your local codes. And since the windows are low to the ground and anyone could climb inside the house, for security I would either add rose bushes with thorns or some window guards for protection. Besides that, you sure know how to pick winners.

I want it to look nicer to raise its value

AND impress the agency. This would be #7 with them and I’m asking premium rent.

The white siding is new vinyl.

Wifey likes to add shutters.

I plan a pretty flowering tree in the corner and a few shrubs along the wall.

“Whiskey barrels for sober living” made me laugh. BTW Seagrams is about an hour away with barrels for sale.

I don’t run the program I just rent the houses to an agency who hires the house managers and chooses who they allow in. VERY strict rules. Must have successfully completed rehab before applying. Chores to keep the place clean. No smoking on front porches, only in the back.

Only 1 or 2 cars because the clients lost everything including their driver’s licenses. Bikes and a few mopeds. On the bus route. Factory sends a van to pick up occupants for work.

Wifey and I feel like it’s a way to give back, and help people in need. Plus I get more rent than a regular home.

I’ll show the numbers on a new thread.

BRAD

I understand what you are asking for.......for 99% of places out there you want the place to pop. When you buy a niche property like a sober living house, you become that 1% where it does matter, but not nearly as much as medical reimbursement policies or what insurance is accepted. Those things, I am not sure who exactly is in charge of them.

Those who say the yard/ garden don't matter cuz its a sober house AND THEN. gripe that there is too much conflict, too much drama just never learned about the calming, healing powers of a good landscape.

Start with the shutters, as they are a quick pop of interest, and are pretty much one and done. Now, for the calming landscaping-

It is a fairly large yard, find space for a cluster of Eastern white pine trees (Pinus strobus) At least five, seven or nine would be better, planted close, like they'd grow in nature. About four or five feet apart, and preferably in a zig-zag pattern, rather than in a straight line. Then, you need to shade the root zone of those trees, as they grow best where the roots are cool, so some common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) around the west of the pine trees, hazelnut shrubs (Corylus americana) along the north and south sides of the pines. Along the east side of the pines, or the south, depending on the placement/ orientation, place an Aldo Leopold bench, and a smoker's urn. Just the one bench, not two. This creates a calm away space, where one person can retreat to when they are having a tough day, when they need a moment. Mulch under everything, let violets grow under, add some sedges, some, some wild ginger, some geraniums (Geranium maculatum) All plants should be true natives to your region, and based on a recent trip to Ohio, they will be easy to find.

We took a trip to Ohio last fall to collect our beagles. Oh, my, Ohio has it going on when it comes to native plants, we had several planned stops on our trip back home, and we saw several well-planned calm, serene parks that were both beautiful AND benefitted wildlife and helped out so-important Small Water Cycles.

The absolute reason I recommend creating an Eastern White pine grove ( yes, you have the room,) is, if you have ever sat in the shade of an Eastern white pine stand, or walked through a pine woods, you know the magically calming effect those trees have on humans. Just sitting among those trees can lower blood pressure.

I tend to purchase my Eastern white pines in large quantities from either Musser Forests or Arbor Day foundation. Just planted nine last fall at one rental house, already had two that I planted in a cluster of three when I first boughtthe house. That cluster was where I learned Pinus strobus wants its roots in a cool situation. The western-most tree succumbed to what I could only figure out was the heat on the roots, then the next tree to have its roots getting hot western sun was suffering, so Ihauled about ten large chunks of tree trunks that someone was giving away on Craigslist, and laid those stumps around the westside of the white pine, creating a cool space under the logs. That tree is recovering nicely, looks good.

Sorry 'bout that last sentence; twas in a rush. Perhaps should have ended with 'for reducing stress' , or some other blathering peace-nic phrase. Doesn't matter; it works. Plant yer pine trees, people!

Busy,

I felt calmer just reading about those plants!

Locally, basic landscaping really elevates the home's appeal. Indiana Dept of Natural Resources DNR gives away BLOCKS of pine tree seedlings for free. 50 tiny tree starts in a block of peat moss. Gently break them apart and plant.

A row across the back fence would be nice.

I Googled 'Aldo Lepold bench'. Clever.

Son Pat20,000 built some of those for his frat house at Purdue so the guys could watch all the girls walk past to the neighboring sorority house. He married one. (girl, not bench!)

The backyard will be a nice oasis for hanging out.

BRAD

Sorry about the reference to Ohio. I knew you were in Indiana, just having a moment, i guess! The Aldo Leopold bench is such a common Boy Scout project around here, I just assumed you'd know what they are.

My go-to method of preparing a lawn area for planting is to cut out a strip of sod around the perimeter. I have a nice manual sod-cutter, but it can be done with a shovel. Pile the cut sod in the middle of the bed, then l cover the whole bed with over-lapped pieces of wet cardboard. Pile fall leaves or straw to cover the cardboard. I usually leave this a couple of weeks to let the grass start dying. Use a Hori-hori ( Japanese gardening knife-Home Depot has a nice one online,) to cut holes in the cardboard, then dig and plant. If there are lots of squirrels in your area, or, if there is only one squirrel in your area, but it is fall when you are planting, put small logs or bricks around the tiny trees so squirrels don't make use of the upturned soil to cache their fall goodies. Squirrels are jerks, and will toss young trees out of the holes cuz the soil is loose and easier for burying their goods.It seems to help, too, to dig a few extra holes at the end of the bed and just let the squirrels have those. Sometimes you'll get a few oak trees from the squirrel caching.

Brad, the house looks to me like it is ready to lift off with those high roof peaks.

1)It will immediately look more esthetic if you add some "grounding," not meaning the property lawn--but the base of the building! Under the low windows, paint a color band around the base of the house. You can experiment with a black, charcoal gray or even pick a dark red from the roof colors. Try one color under the double window, try another under the 2 windows, maybe a 3rd on the side. See which you like best then paint all the same color.