If you want to do these upgrades because they give you joy than do them but do not do anything with the expectation that what you spend on the changes is invested money that you can get back at time of sale. You will not get much return on investment if selling in four years. A new walk in shower alone can cost as much as 15k in some areas and will not bring much at resale. Today's wood tones and tile choices may very well be dated in four years as well. New roof, Fresh paint and well maintained or replaced systems are your best remodel jobs for future sale potential.

I used to hate those yellow/orange 2" oak floors. We recently bought a house with those floors and I realized I like the look of thin planks. We stained it almost black and it looks great. People say the wide planks look more modern, but I think the narrow planks actually look more modern while wide planks look more casual.

After we sanded I wanted to stay natural, the original wood had yellowed but I think they used some light stain. I love the modern clean look of the sanded 2" oak. I would always pull all carpet and replace with wood and use rugs.

Wide/narrow planks will go in and out of preference. I would not tear up perfectly good wood floors because it is so wasteful

Modern lines are used commercially and have been used for a very long time. I was in a modern house built in the 90s this weekend with flat front cabinets, The house is a $2 million house, but has formica countertops that still look great. There is nothing ornate, and the house still looks great today.

If you move towards that style you will still be good in 4 years.

We pulled the jacuzzi tub and wont put any tub in, though Im leaving floor space and hidden plumbing to put one in. We are moving from arches everywhere to clean lines everywhere.

Fixtures, hardware, and doorknobs have clean lines and that made a huge difference in look.

In my old house we replaced appliances and transitioned all carpet downstairs to wood. We also changed all the fixtures, doorknobs, and cabinet hardware. That was actually sufficient to update the house for us to live in.

When we moved we updated the masterbath to a tiled frameless shower and updated the light fixtures.

When you pull up carpet you learn how gross it is to have it in your house..

None of that will give you any additional value to your home. If you want to spend the money with that in mind, then go ahead. It would be an expense only.

Don't do anything. When you do sell, don't fix or replace anything unless it's an obvious eyesore or broken, and make sure everything is spotlessly clean and uncluttered.

Ensure you keep up all the maintenance on your home, including cleaning, painting and everything needed to keep it in good condition. Then make any upgrades or changes you feel you will enjoy for the next few years, but try to stay within the "normal" range for your neighborhood and price range. Don't go overboard.

The process for most buyers is to first find reasons to rule a house out. Consult with a good realtor to get advice on "what would cause someone to pass this home up and not consider buying it?". Only fix those critical items that have been identified. When you put it on the market, resolve any other flaws or needed upgrades as part of the sales negotiations.

Bruce

I can't see paying heating/cooling/property taxes/mortgage/upkeep on a nearly 5,000 sq. foot house for two people that *may* be visited a handful of times by my kids or grandkids some day... That's a lot of $$ to throw down the drain. Three bedrooms with a bonus room or basement seems like plenty to me. And based on experience, the times our extended family has gotten together for family reunions or get togethers over the years, we have taken family cruises or rented beach houses...

To be clear, I'm not looking to do too much... I already have a new roof and three new HVAC units... plus new paint in and out... But... I do have 15 year old buckled carpet that I need to do something with, plus a general outdated look in the bathrooms, especially. I'd like to enjoy some updates -- plus if it helps sell the home faster and get a slightly higher return when and if it goes on the market, all the better... I have no expectation that I will get all of the renovation investment back -- I'm not that naive. Just looking for some ideas before I get started based on other people's experience.... Spread out $20,000-$30,000 of modest investment and wanted to know what may provide the best impact.

Replacing the carpet is a good idea, if only for your enjoyment(or lack of distraction).

Anything else will only be for your enjoyment. The tile/etc. you put in the baths will be outdated in 5 years anyway.

We bought our current home(yes, as a foreclosure---but it sold three times after being built in 1965) and still had the original lighting fixtures and wood work. I sold two houses with little or no improvements(other than paint/etc.) after 7 years in both.

There are a lot of people in the market who want a move in home, but there are also many who want their own stamp on the house they buy. Leaving older decor lets them start imagining changes when they first look---a good selling point.

Do the floor because nobody wants 15 year old carpet.

Only 20K means don’t touch anything beyond the superficial. That’s just a carpet and paint budget.