stucco skim coat?
 

I replaced my windows and I was told that the stucco patch wouldn't match the old one which has been painted many times (sand texture). My contractor suggested a sandblasting and a skim coat. I'm worried about my budget. My stucco doesn't need major repair (other than the window patch) but the paint is peeling. I definitely need to change the apperance of the house by at least paint it. Any suggestions? Is the skim coat my only way to go?

I'm not sure what your contractor means by a "skim coat"? Personally, I would use one of the new industial finishes like this:

http://www.texcote.com/

when I want to refinish my stucco.

Thanks I'll look into it :)