I suppose taking on a lighter rehab would be the way to go in order to get our feet wet and then tackle something more complex in the future?

Our estimate came in higher than we could justify for the property so we trimmed down the scope of work and are going to handle some of the lighter tasks ourselves.

Depending on your budget- the curb appeal would be greatly enhanced by painting the brick a lighter color- white or pale gray so that the entry doesn’t look so dark and unwelcoming.  

I fear there are going to be many a broken hearts and lighter wallets following that advice.I could write a glowing book on this stuff but its not reality for beginners at all in my mind. your statement above is solid gold. !!!

@ Janine Thanks for sharing your experience on the lighter side of things, it’s all very helpful and appreciated.

A deeper red, more rusty or there is a lighter mud brown that you could do just the floor and in while you trim out the rest of the house in a more muted color.

My wife changes guns sometimes due to clothing so she'll carry the PM40 in winter and then a Bersa 9mm in summer as it's 5oz lighter and the hard holster is smaller.

I plug the modem into my cigarette lighter and I can pull up comps, tax information, contact information, deed information, and email from my laptop while I am out looking at property.

The kitchen cabinets are dark brown (chocolate) and the floor is a light travertine floor.I was inclined towards a lighter granite countertop.Any suggestions for good looking neutral colors?

I really like the chair rails and kitchen color contrasts ( lighter cabinets , medium color counter tops , darker wood floors)Any plans for the basement ?