Talk to a Realtor, and find out what makes the most sense. It may make the most sense to make repairs like the roof, plumbing and possibly the floors, and try to sell it as is, otherwise.

Someone wanted my parents' house "as is", so that they could remodel as they liked. However, the basic house was very well maintained and had a new roof. The interior was a time capsule of two different periods, 1969 and 1987. In that particular market, it would be hard to anticipate the individual tastes of some anonymous buyer and redo the interiors ourselves, and the return on the investment would not have been very good anyway. But if, in your market, people want move-in-ready, it may be a different story.

A few years really isn't that many to do everything on your list. 5 years or less? Or, is it more like 10?

It sounds like the roof is a must and as a buyer, I'd rather put that money into renovating the kitchen vs. putting a new roof on.

We've been upgrading, renovating and redoing our 1973 split level, continuing on from what the previous owners were doing, and our split is 1000x better than any other same split in our neighborhood.

We've redone the kitchen (also knocked out a wall) and the deck/patio (huge). Massive undertakings.

We've done many, many other things, too numerous to mention, but those were the biggies.

We will need to do the roof and probably should redo the driveway and front walk/stoop. The former will be done before we put the house on the market, and the latter I'm on the fence about.

I'd love to redo my bath (the hall bath), but I'm sick to death of putting money into the house and would rather take our discretionary income and travel.

So, I guess what I'm saying, is that you should prioritize based on that you should do, and what you'd like to do to enjoy your home more while you're still there.

To do everything on your list with the knowledge that it's not your forever home seems a bit too pie in the sky.

Good luck!

Canvass a few local realtors to see what's going to make the house most appealing to a buyer *without* doing any of the major stuff you are talking about.

Would you be living IN this house while you fix it up? Then I would never undertake some of the things you're talking about doing.

if the value here is only the land -- teardown logical, do nothing. Otherwise, I'd re-roof, get the plumbing and electrical under control, paint, spiff up the landscaping. No moving walls, replacing floors or windows, and no new kitchen or baths. Possibly new appliances.

One word: Asbestos

Having just bought a 1964 house that needs much of what you're describing, I'd suggest:

Do the roof for sure before there is major damage (hopefully you don't live where that hurricane is expected this weekend!) After that take care of the plumbing backups. At that point wait and see what is really necessary. Are the baths just old fashioned pink-tile jobs or do you have leaks? Are your electrical issues just lack of outlets or are you dealing with knob and tube and/or fire issues? Have you checked the furnace, including ducts, and water heater? How about drainage issues that may affect the foundation? I'm sure the windows need replacing, but do you know how much that costs? In our 1900sf house, the window bill is about $20,000 including an 8' and a 10' slider, but nothing fancy. Our new floors (bamboo, so a little spendy) will be around $16,000. For resale, you probably won't get your money back on floors and windows. You may do better with a kitchen re-do, but check with local realtors on that one. The same may be true of bathrooms if you don't go overboard.

As buyers, we would have really liked new windows, but best I can tell that's not a priority for most buyers. New floors may entice a buyer, but you get your money back? Likely not, so probably skip the bamboo and go for something less expensive. If you're not going to stay for years and years, do the necessary first and then be real careful about whatever else you spend, and save the money for your forever house.

I would say that windows are important, and I know if I moved into an older house that had original windows, I'd hesitate to buy it because I'm so used to newer windows that look better, insulate better and are leaps and bounds easier to clean.

We replaced most of our windows in our 1970's home and it was a great investment for us while we live here, and for resale.

YMMV

I'm with you, mimipadv. We also replaced the windows in our previous 1970s house where we lived for 40 years, and felt it was well worth it. It's why windows were a priority for the house we bought. I'm just saying that while we were searching for this house (7 months!!), new windows hardly made a blip in the mentions of house descriptions. Sounds like another thing to ask the local realtor. Ours was sort of, "What?"

NatalieG:

Speaking with a realtor is good advice, but I'd suggest touring some new homes also. Builders build what buyers want to buy so the more you emulate the latest in houses, the more you can compete when you go to sell.

Despite the claims of retrofit window salesmen, the payback on windows is something like 40 years and probably longer now that energy prices are coming down. People expect the home they buy to have windows and a roof that doesn't leak.

I told my sister-in-law that she was going to put a roof on the house she inherited from her mother, either out-of-pocket now or let the buyer take it out of her hide on the sale. She chose the latter.

I agree 100% with the roof getting done, no doubt. I also think there is no doubt you need to address the plumbing issues. Windows, electrical, HVAC, moving walls, etc., you're just gambling that someone else will want exactly what you spent money on. I'd price it accordingly and let them decide. I'd still do some projects that would give it some character and make it a little more fresh-looking, but easy, inexpensive, easy to change if someone hated projects. Post some pictures and maybe you'll get some good advice you never thought of before. I'd love to see pictures of your little time capsule!!

Oh, but I don't know about asking realtors their opinions locally. I'd rather post pictures on here and get advice that way then ask someone with a potentially vested interest in the outcome what I should or should not spend money on.

mydreamhomeideas:

You presume an adversarial relationship where there shouldn't be one. Realtors, like contractors, ultimately make their fortune on satisfying customers, not short term gain.

No one on here is going to have their finger on the pulse of the local real estate market like a local realtor.

energy savings on replacing windows are at the low end 7%

and at the high end 14%. big expense for small return on investment,

one of the reasons that windows have such a long payback period.

I'd focus on the roof to start with.

then put it on the market while you look for something

you like.

best of luck

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2015/

Remodels lose money as "investments".

I wonder what Natalie decided to do...