In my town, a few years ago I did a PARTIAL remodel of my small kitchen, in my neighborhood which has recently become historic and is a very rapidly gentrifying, popular place for all the new transplants to move to - ugh don't get me started. This partial remodel involved 12' of new lower cabinets made to look similar to the hundred year-old cabs throughout the rest of the kitchen, a new stainless countertop, new farm sink, new faucet, new marble subway tile backsplash, new disposal, new Samsung fridge (what a piece of crap, by the way), a new dishwasher, a couple of new lights plus under-cab lights along that 12 feet - and admittedly we also got a new electrical panel to support these new things, and also at that time ended up getting a new water heater and new water main from the street as well as new outlets in the kitchen. The permits alerted the assessment folks who came to see what was what about 6 months later. Clearly, I had a smallish kitchen and hadn't expanded it as most of our neighbors have, and he saw I had all original cabinets everywhere except those new lower ones, as well as a crappy electric stove and crappy old fir floors. But he noted the new water main, electrical panel full of all its power and glory, etc etc. I of course pointed out that it was just a basic partial remodel and I'm sure he laughed on the inside. Anyway, our taxes went up by about a thousand per year. PER YEAR. I'm sure some of it was due to the neighborhood and whatever else but me thinks a hefty amount had to do with that damned inspection. After all, the taxes had been steadily rising for about 10 years at that point - but never so much as after he came. He even said "good thing you let me come over" or "good thing you didn't forget and weren't home, because based on these permits I would have assumed you had a larger whole kitchen remodel done and your taxes would go up much higher than what they'll likely do from this inspection." Yeah, no. What really kills me is that I was talked into getting the new water main and water heater because the faucet wasn't getting the water out well enough and they thought it was a water pressure issue. Turns out the faucet was clogged! I had to get the water heater because they said the sediment probably ruined the old one when getting the new water main. I'm terrified now about the basement job I want to do very soon here - adding a full apartment or at least studio that we can rent out so that we can have some extra income...ironically due to the tax increases that are all but displacing us neighborhood natives out to the burbs as so many others have had to go before us!! : - / I'm glad the value of our house will go up but DANG IT we can't afford to have those taxes hike up much further! Sorry for the rant...

I've moved a number of times. I always start with the storage areas. Attic, basement, garage. They have the most stuff and are the hardest IMHO to clean out. Having them emptied or pared down to almost zero makes it easier to move stuff out of the house you at least then have a place to put stuff as you remove it from the rest of the house. Unless you have the time and help to do a garage sale it's much easier to either donate stuff or put it out on the curb with a big FREE sign. Hauling stuff to thrift stores or charity organizations is time consuming and costly especially if you have to make multiple runs a far distance from your home or work. If you have a storage space off property then only put into that which you plan to take with you but you'd prefer to remove to make rooms/closets look bigger. Have all the small stuff packed for a move. properly wrapped, labeled and sealed. NEVER write on a box that Grandma's china is in this box. Instead use numbers and a master sheet to identify what is in a box. It cuts down drastically on theft when moving. I like to have a spiral notebook when I move that all my important papers and notes go into. It stays with me at all times. I'm a big believer in tackling the harder rooms to clean first. Normally when you start decluttering your energy level is higher in the beginning as the days past and you work on this people have a tendency to get frustrated. So going from the hardest rooms to the easier rooms can help keep energy levels both physical and mental up It also helps if you have someone to help you do the decluttering. A good friend that will keep you on track, and maybe make you laugh a little as you do this very big chore.

I would clean and then just epoxy the concrete flooring. It will give it a nice shine that will help bounce light around. Keep the wall paint light and neutral, don't overthink it the new buyers will likely repaint. Those steps look rough, that would be my main concern. I'd finish those for sure. That door also needs to be replaced with a full one. It's looking pretty beat right now and the half door look isn't great.

For goodness sakes, Dad is 81. I've purchased homes with the owner's clothes still in the closet, junk 4 feet deep in the basement, and nothing updated or fixed for 40 years. That Realtor isn't wrong IF you have endless funds (looking at about 20K minimum right there unless you guys do some work), and time to spend. You are almost at the end of June. The time is NOW to get it sold. Things slow down a bit after the 4th. IF you want very top HGTV showroom dollar, (and highest commission possible for the Realtor),, follow all that advice. But it doesn't sound like the expenditure of effort is worth it for your Dad. Follow your gut. You are already willing to list under what the very top dollar is, from what you say, given the condition of the house. Do what you think is right and do not be dissuaded.