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Inherited a Unique Home With “Character” (Lime, Pink, Baby Blue Walls, Noah’s Ark AND Asian Themed Dining Room + a Giant Backyard Koi Pond) – Renovate for ROI or Let Buyers Decide?

As the title suggests, my parents had...interesting taste.

They had New Orleans soul and an eclectic vibe while raising me in Central Pennsylvania. I recently inherited the home and I'm trying to decide whether to sell as-is or make repairs/updates first. As I wrote this, the answer seems like an obvious yes, but I don't know too much about real estate and ROI so I came here for some initial feedback/advice. The exterior style is pretty similar to the picture linked here.

Please be kind, although I will take up any interesting stories or light-hearted jokes as my parents home probably sounds fake. Lmao.

Details about the house:

  • 32 years old, 5 bedrooms / 2.5 bathrooms
  • Good school district (elementary is top 25 public in the U.S.)
  • .6 acres in a sought-after neighborhood (lots of doctors, lawyers, accountants and white collar job holders nearby)
  • Zillow estimate: ~$516,000
  • Nearby new builds with less land are going for $600–750k+ which I think is crazy!

Recent updates:

  • Roof shingles replaced ~3 years ago
  • First-floor ceiling replaced after leak
  • One bathroom vanity, cabinets, and wall paint modernized (tub is original but in good shape)
  • Kitchen appliances ~5 years old, washer/dryer brand new
  • Water heater replaced in 2020
  • No known major structural issues

The challenges:

  • Parents had “eccentric” tastes:
    • Burnt orange kitchen, lime green/blue foyer, Noah’s Ark/Asian-themed dining room with massive Asian vase and wallpaper
    • Pink + lime green hallways upstairs
    • Chicken/farm-themed outlet covers
    • Different wood flooring shades on first floor that they tried to match but didn't get right
    • Light fixtures that feel dated
  • Backyard has a large koi pond (about half the size of an above-ground pool, kidney-shaped, high maintenance and frankly breaking down since they couldn't keep up). Its slowly becoming an eye sore as my dad couldn't keep up.
  • Second floor has light brown Mediterranean-like tile; basement has gray laminate flooring but unfinished walls
  • Home also has accessibility modifications (stair lift, walk-in shower)

My thoughts:

  • The house feels dated, but has great bones and a lot of stylistic potential.
  • With modernizing (neutral paint, remove wallpaper, update light fixtures, finish basement walls, etc.) I think it could potentially list closer to $600–650k (am I unrealistic).
  • Concern: parents’ taste will have to turn buyers off there's just so much going on here, and the koi pond could hurt resale appeal. Central PA is not known for wild color schemes.
  • My brother-in-law is handy, and since I’m inheriting with my sister, we could do many updates ourselves over the next year or two including floor replacement and painting. But things like bathroom install for my parents mobility tub will need professionals to do.

My questions:

  1. Would it be smarter to sell the home as-is and let the next buyer modernize to their taste?
  2. Or should we invest time and money into updates (paint, fixtures, flooring, basement finish, maybe removing the koi pond) to maximize value?
  3. For resale purposes, which updates would give the best ROI vs. which ones aren’t worth the effort?
  4. How much ROI could I realistically expect from making these updates before listing?

Any insight would be hugely appreciated, especially from people who’ve sold inherited homes, flipped houses, or have real estate experience.

Thanks in advance!

submitted by /u/A_Rogue_One
[link] [comments]

source https://www.reddit.com/r/RealEstate/comments/1nmqn4d/inherited_a_unique_home_with_character_lime_pink/
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