Should we update the house before selling, or sell it as-is?
Mostly as-is — with a short list of exceptions. Big renovations on a long-held home rarely pay the family back. The buyer of a 1968 kitchen plans to choose their own 2026 kitchen; spending $40,000 to guess their taste usually returns less than it cost, and it adds months to a process that's already heavy.
Where money does work: the clear-out, a deep clean, fresh neutral paint, and small visible repairs — the leaky faucet, the dead outlet, the loose railing. Cheap fixes signal "cared for." Expensive ones just signal "expensive." Anything safety-related gets done regardless, because it'll surface at inspection anyway.
The right list is specific to the house. Walk it with me and I'll tell you which five things matter and which forty don't — that's a one-cup-of-coffee conversation.
I wrote this answer, and I stand behind it. I'm Chris Deutsch, a Minneapolis Realtor (MN #20382264). Twenty-five years of walking these neighborhoods, checking basements, and sitting across kitchen tables from people making exactly this call. I re-check every answer and date it — this one was last verified .
If your situation is more specific than the market, that's the one worth talking through. Email me at chris@lakesarearealty.com.