Yes, the pictures feel like a condo to me, and I was startled to see the front of the house.
In my opinion as a recent homebuyer, adding a large view deck is probably the single most effective thing you could do to increase the value of the house. Probably even more effective than adding an indoor staircase to the garage and/or converting the downstairs garage into living space. I agree that should be a top priority. The larger the better!
Agree the house has lovely bones and know you will work your magic on it. A large, level deck that takes advantage of the view and can hold a grill, table and chairs would greatly enhance value!
If you expand the deck, instead of the existing black bars or slats that obstruct the view, use glass panels.
Glass panels are expensive, but I will cost them out. The black railing has to go because it is ‘loose’ and woobly and dangerous right now. I might be taking this house to a ‘modern’ style with the frosted glass garage door in the front. So the wood posts with the steel cables might be the right design for the deck railing. Those are good for views but they might give an ‘appearance’ of being dangerous that high off the ground.
Cb, we installed the glass panels sold by HD - that was in 2008. They are still good! 
They were cheaper than the metal ones… even back then. I’m deathly terrified of heights, but glass panels give me a sense of security, so they would be fine.
The issue with any railing, as our builder pointed out, is not the type of railing - it is its height. No matter what kind you install, the top rail is always at the eye level when you sit down to relax and enjoy the view!
Depends on your budget (and maybe earthquake codes?) but you can do it without any railings at all:
http://www.herculescustomiron.com/img/gallery/glass_rail/glass_rail_03.jpg
The glass railings look great when new, but are not terribly easy to keep clean. It’s hard to keep the streaking down to a minimum. How about something like this – “cable railing” – for that fabulous view:
I beg to differ, Attorneymother. They are super easy to clean! A bucket of soap water and a squeegee does the trick even in the moldy Seattle.
I was at one home where the high-up deck took a different approach – glass panels that went up to bar height, which didn’t affect the view when seated.
Forgive the off-topic comment:
I do love the look of the glass panels and we almost went with them. I am not too handy with a squeegee @BunsenBurner 
But I can send my D out with a hose while she is willing.
We have lots of glass inside our house, including glass panels on our stairway, and streak-free maintenance on both sides of the panels is onerous, especially at the higher levels. And house guests don’t understand the concept of fingerprints!
I’ve had frameless glass railings on my decks and balconies in my old house and new house for 20 years at the beach and never had a problem keeping them clean. I love them. The ones at my new house are a bit higher which i like because they block the wind. They are not bar height though – maybe 6" higher than old ones
Actually, we prefer our glass on the deck to be a bit dusty. If it is too clean, birds keep flying into it with sad consequences… I had to buy some backstroke flags to put all over our glass railings to prevent chickadee suicides.
Ewwwwww . . . .
There is a great product called Invisible Glass. I have gotten it at both Walmart and Target. I have glass tables, and large bathroom mirrors. This stuff leaves NO streaks…ever. It is fabulous stuff.
For cleaning indoor glass surfaces, eCloth rules.
Although I love the look of glass panels I personally don’t want the maintenance of trying to clean them. Also, if the exterior is dirty, how does someone reach over and clean outside at such a dangerous height??
Might go with the steel cabling look
You could do something like this, that lets you reach in between:
http://www.keylinkfencing.com/sites/default/files/glass-panel-railing.jpg
“Also, if the exterior is dirty, how does someone reach over and clean outside at such a dangerous height??”
Squeegee/plushie mop combo on a long stick/hose.
This is how I clean 2nd story windows, because I am afraid of ladders.
That’s what I meant. It is precarious, at best, to get to the other side, especially at elevated heights. (And, because no one has arms quite that long, it’s takes some acrobatics!)
BTW, thanks, everyone, for the streak-free glass cleaner recommendations.