$150 all in if you are lucky, maybe more. Could look awesome. No one knows your finances better than you. It won’t really increase the pricing- Airbnb is largely rented on amenities which won’t really be changing. Might get it back at resale.

A few questions on renting it out: How many people does the condo sleep in how many bedrooms? What is the range of per-night rates that are typical of the area? Is it being sold furnished with most or all furniture?

You're not gonna fit a current code legal powder room under the stairs, even if you could possibly move enough of the building’s plumbing and have it hang down in the garage, and redo the garage to maintain the fire break, to make that happen. Get that off of your brain. Not gonna happen. 150K is way in the rear view mirror on this idea.

Will fit 10 people, area supports around $500-700/night. Current code legal powder room is absolutely key info. Thanks to all!!

I don't understand your comment about taxes -- if the taxes will go up once you pull permits, isn't that a reason not to rush into renovations??

On taxes, we just bought the house. So value was assessed just now. That value will never go up as it will not be re-assessed, even though the city and neighborhood are appreciating like crazy. So 10, 15, 20 years from now, our tax assessed value will be exactly what it is today. Unless we pull a permit for renovations. Then it gets assessed at current value, which in the future will be higher, so all our taxes will go up accordingly. If we pull the permit right now, it's within 2-3 months of sale so it won't change anything.

Hello Pittsburgh! I am guessing you are in Mt. Washington.

Hello from Pittsburgh . . . that's a spectacular Mt. Washington view.

I'm a realtor and sold a friend a small Mt. Washington ranch as a second home. She is doing a bath remodel because she needs a walk-in shower. Bath is about 5x7. The price to do a medium priced reno is 50,000 and she obtained quotes from two good contractors. She is proceeding because this is a need, not a want. I wanted to share because prices are through the roof.

Since you'll only be there a few weeks a year, I'd forgo this renovation. Like you said, it is serviceable.

FWIW, I don't think your descripton of the tax situation in Allegheny County is entirely accurate. Though it is less likely they'll reassess you home after purchase, they do and can reassess. However, many properties in the City of Pittsburgh are significantly underassessed, more so than in the suburbs. Also, when they reassess, you do not let the assessor into your property . . . it is not required. So while pulling permits may trigger a reassessment, they won't be able to view how nice it is.

Is that a window or a door out the back in the kitchen? If I remember correctly there is not much to see out the back of things on Mt. Washington. May make more sense to put a powder room back there, changing that window/door to something smaller, and then shift the kitchen forward toward the living space.

But I am not sold that a view needs to be seen from everywhere, it's nice that it can be seen from the LR. I had the opposite view for a number of years, and another relatively high city view in another city, and in my opinion, you get used to it. I don't think short term rentals are going be spending a lot of time in the kitchen, I think they are going to be downtown doing stuff.

Hi PGH folks! :-) @Rachel, thanks, we'll ask more questions. We're talkign to the tax assessor, as our assessed value is astronomical compared to identical or even bigger/newer/better neighbor properties. Was a complete shock! Good to know about not having them inside! Thanks for that tip!

That estimate for a small bathroom reno is equally a shock. $50k?? We installed an entirely new bathroom in Philly just 2 years ago and it wasn't remotely that much. Aiee..

@palimpsest - yes, that's a window in the kitchen, doesn't look at much...

@Amy L, the key word there is 2 years ago. Everything has gone up tremendously. My sister was visiting last week from the Bay Area, and she was shocked at that 50k price tag. She said that's what they'd expect to pay in Berkeley, a high cost area compared to the 'Burg.

One more thought . . . is the kitchen facing the view? If you were to consider a remodel, I'd be designing it around the view and have a wall of windows. THAT would be money exceptionally well spent, especially since you plan to rent it out. People will pay $$$$ for the view with great outdoor space.

I have no idea where you live but my house assessment just went up 50% so that is an issue but IMO a home needs to be a home BTW I wouldnever make mine a rental is this a rental full time or what. Our house was renovsted 15 yrs ago the taxes went up then and did so this year. IMO if renting out and making money is the aim leave it .

@Rachel no, kitchen doesn't have a view. Living room does. There's a small patio out there, and we're looking into improving ground level outdoor space. Although now I'm wondering what we'll be able to do given price tags you're mentioning!

For the intended use in the foreseeable future, I would not spend that amount of money - plus deal with the aggravation - in order to open up the kitchen. At a certain point - especially if you have been renting it, there would probably need to be major remodeling of the kitchen anyway just from use. Since it is a townhome presumably there are equivalent homes with the same layout which would provide insight into whether it is something that other people have done in the development.

Obviously people are different but I personally wouldn't care whether there was an open kitchen plan in a BnB type of short rental. I would be more concerned with location and cleanliness and comfort of beds and also whether there was a great shower.

Interesting about how property is assessed. I am also in an area in which taxes are based on initial purchase price with very modest increases permitted. Theoretically remodeling triggers an assessment when permits are pulled. However, when I read the regulations, it appears that most home "improvements" aren't cause for an increased assessment since "replacements" don't cause an increase. If you "add" something like an additional bathroom or square footage it would theoretically cause an increase. There is a gray area in which *theoretically* the quality of the replacements is considered but that is really unworkable in practice since anytime someone replaces the kitchen cabinets (for example), the *quality* is going to be better presumably especially in an older residence.

You also need to consider how much rent you will be losing during the renovation. You are talking months to get everything completed. Are you willing to lose that much money and carry the mortgage yourself?

Thanks to all for these comments. This forum has been a life-saver!! So I've been convinced, and am keeping the kitchen as-is. The cabinets are in good shape, so new plan is to paint them all white. Replace countertop with white, and backsplash with something like this:

Do you think that green backsplash will clash with the reddish cherry-wood floor? (I just adore yellow and green in a kitchen, .. makes me think of fresh lemons and limes).

Then I need to glam up the powder room. I have SO MANY rooms to go... ack... Thank goodness for this forum, I'll be popping up on a lot of them as I.Am.Clueless and have an entire house to outfit.

Following and thinking.

Green is a great color selection to go with the cherry floor.

Because this is not your primary residence, and it does function as is, I wouldn't sink that money into it. I would update the backsplash, (I can't really see the countertops) and paint the kitchen walls a brighter white. The end. :)

I agree with dala3905. Changing your backsplash and hardware will make a huge difference. Update the faucet also. Clean cabinets well, wood is back in fashion and will not show use and dirt as quickly as white cabinets from your tenants. Put in a cute rug and repaint. When you update your furniture and decor it will look new and you will have saved $$$. Direct your tenants attention to your fabulous living room w view and glam your powder room. Your kitchen is great. You won’t recognize it once you change that backsplash!