I get a rush every time I walk into my kitchen after I moved the stairs and added 36sq ft to my kitchen.

Usually the front door opens into the living room and the stairs.

They aren't in great shape but it certainly cleaned them up and will have them looking good for years to come.We are just finishing the front exterior and I'm starting to paint inside with the front needing to be stained after (weather is really co-operating with us so far)Tenant who is moving in is a long term tenant of ours (24+ yrs at that address) and will be moving to the lower unit with no stairs to climb.

My hope is to leave the exterior access and simply reopen the original wall/case and add back a few stairs to that landing.

I see a move when they can't handle the stairs in a townhouse but likely not before.

We all have stepped on decks / stairs etc that looked in good shape on top and snap in half showing the center all rotten.You use exterior STAIN, your choice is then, semi transparent which shows the wood grain like regular stains or solid which looks just like a paint but allows the wood to breathe properly. 

and add 2 large matching cement planters to flank the entry overfilled with red geraniums.  

I would probably mix up some cement in a bucket or wheelbarrow and fill in the bad looking areas

We wound up having the whole exterior trenched, straightened the walls and then cut holes at the top most cinder-block and put in rebar and core filled the walls with cement - now a solid foundation.

The backyard has some broken cement surface (about half) and some dirt.