Because we procrastinated and vascilated about whether to buy a new house or remodel this one, the siding has really deteriorated on the exposed portions (second floor and garage side). It is really water rotten in many parts upstairs and the two windows up there probably need to be replaced as well. The part covered by the gameroom/balcony probably just needs painting...and we would get new gutters all around as well...so the fascia and trim would have to be changed out if we went with a different product...

We eventually bought and moved to another home earlier this year and now need to get this house ready to sell.

Needless to say we don't want to put more money than we need to into it because 1) we don't want to overprice for the neighborhood and 2) don't want to put money in and not get it out.

would it be too far off the mark to go with the same type of plywood sheathing that was originally used and not update with vinyl or Hardi plank...

to me it seems to make more sense to re-side ALL siding walls with same type of covering (even the stuff that is in decent shape) for continuity and to keep the second floor from looking like we did it as addition which we did not--it was original with the house...

there are some homes in the neighborhood that still have their original plywood sheathing...(all homes are 20+ yrs old)...a few homes have done vinyl but most of that is not visible from the street view since it is on backs of homes...and I don't know of anyone that has gone to Hardiplank...although I know it is superior product...

the reason I can see for not using plywood would be because an upgraded siding choice might help to sell the house because it could be more energy efficient...and having a choice like Hardiplank which is used in better quality new construction would be a selling point in comparison with other homes on the market in this age/price range...

If we went with the plywood choice, is there something that could be done to make the second floor more insulated from the southern sun--
would it make sense to use the Tyvek with reflective covering or just add more insulation?

how much more difficult is it to install vinyl or Hardiplank vs the plywood...
we are going to use contractor to do the work not do it ourselves but I know that Hardiplank requires expertise...and that would probably mean using different contractor than we are considering now...

We also have interior work to be done...
my husband and I are in disagreement over what we should do to prep this house...
things like the staircase to the gameroom on second floor look terrible dated in style--he does not think it should be redone since there is nothing wrong with it but the style and replacing it would just be additional expense...

I think changing it out would UN-date the interior tremendously--since it is visible from the minute you walk into the front entry and screams "80s"...if you know what I mean...

also--so many houses we see that get remodeled have the cabinet sinks/cultured marble tops taken out and pedestal sinks put in --with no shelf space or drawer space--they might look good but they are so unfunctional...
but we don't want to redo the bathrooms entirely...
what is a good medium?
does it make sense to replace three toilets with low-flush ones?
the interior doors are the cheap builder's doors--but we have nice molding -- does it make sense to replace the doors with a 6 panel job to increase the appeal?

Replace the outdated light fixtures or just shine them up?
Take out the popcorn ceilings and all the wallpaper?
Carpet has to be replaced--would you upgrade to decent grade engineered wood flooring in dining and living area and halls?
There is laminate countertops in kitchen--because there is not long counter runs, we might could find remnants of granite to work--would you change it out if you could get it cheap enough?
does that mean you have to change out the cabinets?

should we change out the hardward for drawer pulls in kitchen and baths and other built ins?

I know that answers are difficult because individual markets vary...

our home is in DFW area of TX--and our town has has pretty good resale luck the past year--mainly because the school district is getting good evaluations and the home prices are reasonable and the location for commuting is very good...

but some featurs of our house are going to be a definite negative no matter what we do--kitchen is smaller,few cabinets, fairly functional but closed off from living area and really nothing that can be done about that..

house has some positive features that hopefully will help offset that...large backyard and master bedroom, garage is easily accessed from street, storage is good, nice mature trees (guess I am trying to pump up my enthusiasm)...

anyway
appreciate any input...

I would fix things that are broken. Make the house look well-maintained. Replace rotten siding, of course. Paint. Replace obviously dingy carpeting. But don't go trying to make it look like some home makeover extravaganza.

Imagine that your current budget constrained you to shopping in neighborhoods like the one you now live in, and ask yourself how much more you would be willing to pay for a house with a given bit of work already done. You might not like that gameroom staircase, but would the price you'd be willing to pay for the house go up by the cost (perhaps a few thousand $) of replacement? I doubt it.

Replace any rotten/deteriorated parts. If you don't this will KILL your resale price. Suddenly you will only be really attractive to DIY'ers or flippers, and trust me, we are cheap.

For the siding, can you just replace the rotten pieces and repaint the siding on the house? If so, I would do that. If not, I would go with vinyl because it is much cheaper. You may be able to find it at a local salvage yard for an even better price than your local big box store. Personally, I would rather buy a cheaper house with vinyl that I can replace with my color choice of upgraded siding at a later date.

Installing any type of siding is not hard to install - you can easily DIY -especially vinyl.

Can you clean and paint the gutters instead of replacing them?

If your interior staircase has the black metal 80's railing, then replace it. If it has wood railing, consider painting it. But if it's the metal, replace it, replace it, replace it. You'll get more back than you put in it.

no to replacing the sinks and toilets. Pedestal sinks may look nice, but many buyers want storage, which as you noted, they do not offer. Consider painting the vanity and changing the hardware if you want to refresh the look. Replacing the toilets would be an un-necessary expense, especially if they are white in color.

Doors- I wouldn't replace. The current trend is actually away from 6 panel doors toward the two section doors with arched tops. If you have the budget, and can do it cheaply I would consider the arch top doors.

Yes to replacing the outdated light fixtures. It's cheap and can make a huge difference in the look of the room.

Yes to removing ALL wallpaper. That would be one of the major complaints of a prospective buyer - so do remove it.

Maybe to removing the popcorn ceiling. It would be attractive to buyers, but may be a budget breaker to do it over the entire house. I would consider doing it in the living room, kitchen and perhaps any attached hallways and leaving the bedrooms and others areas as is. You can replace it with smooth - or 'knock down' texture. A good light knock down job looks good and should be cheaper than smooth. Google it to see examples.

If you remove the carpet, do use the engineered wood. However, consider adding a flooring allowance to the purchase of the home. Some buyers like dark floors (me), others like light colored (my mom). Offering a flooring allowance allows them to chose what they want and keeps anyone from being turned off by the color you choose.

Don't change out the kitchen cabinets. Again, paint them if you need to freshen the look and consider adding new hardware and faucets. The kitchen forum has people with great advice on doing this and I've seen some amazing transformations for under $1000. If the budget permits, do add the granite, but get a neutral one and be sure to update the hardware on the cabinetry and faucets, but not the cabinets.

I hope this is helpful. When trying to sell, just remember that you want to spend as little as possible and get as much 'bang for your buck' as you can. If you aren't afraid of DIYing, then you can save a lot of money. One thing you didn't mention was painting the interior. I would definately paint the interior a netural tan-ish color. Cleanly painted walls and ceilings look nice and help show-off any nice trim you may have.

Nancy

If you are able to DIY any of the cosmetic minor jobs in the home, do so. They won't be worth wasting money by hiring a contractor. Otherwise, leave well enough alone and just price it aggressively. That means pricing it under current market value---which in most areas of the country continues to drop steadily. Be realistic about the price you ask, and you might actually sell.