What can I do for better curb appeal?

Hi Kate - You have not said your budget - or your skills . But for a budget friendly start....

Get some landscaping to the left of your front door. Lovely bushes on sale this time of year. The fall is still a great planting time. Paint the front steps if they cannot be replaced. Some pots of fall flowers on the steps would help as well.

Hi, Kate: What happened? Did you take fomr trees out? I would first fill and level the holes and decide if you want grass or something else. If that is too much to start with, clear the area next to the stoop and make a flower bed, or fill with gravel and put concrete pavers to hold flower pots. Also, it looks like room by the door to put decorative pots, with or without plantings I would start with the porch, do the area to the side and think about what you want in the front yard.

Clean up all toys, tools,etc...plant grass or put bark over the place that has no grass. Put 1 tall shrub on either side of the steps

I would put a small covering over the door- something that would follow the roof line. I also agree with the other posts.

I agree, a small covering over the door would work wonders. You have the start of a very nice front porch there. Even a small canvas awning over the door, and something with more substance than those metal handrails on each side, would give the house a nice entry. Some potted plants on the porch, and then of course a little landscaping including those tall plants on either side of the porch that someone else mentioned. Maybe a better light fixture on the porch too, something a little bigger.

The door bump out needs the roof extended out to cover the porch steps with white pillars. Then white spindle railing ...to replace the black metal ones.

Repair/ paint the porch and steps.

Add shrubs, flowers and trees to the yard.

DIY a 5 ft welcome sign for beside the door using the colors of the house.

I think you have all the makings of a very pretty house-front. I'm partial to gardens, so I'd tidy up the area to the left of the porch, and add a few small shrubs, maybe something like blue star juniper, a euonymos or Spirea Little Princess (I got some on clearance at a big box garden center for under $10) or something else that appeals to you. Just not something you have to constantly be trimming back to keep in bounds. Maybe a bag or two of mulch to finish it off neatly. Fill in the bare spot with grass, and since you have kids, ask for a seed that will stand up to foot traffic.

The porch could use a little love, and I like your railings (some places I've lived had them, too, they're sturdy and they look fine if they're painted nicely) They don't have to be black, either, unless you like that. Get new, bolder house numbers, or else get a cute house number plaque, and maybe hang it next to the door. You could also see about a light that hangs down, rather than up, so it's more next to the door. You could also brighten up the look by choosing a different color for your shutters, something that has more contrast to the house color.

Good luck!