WE have lived in our present home for 13 years anow, and we plan to sell it and move (out of state) within the next 5 years. How soon that is depends upon:
-the stock market and our portfolio’s performance
-an improvement in the reals estate market
-our state of health
Both of us have decided that we do not want to spend our retirement in this area-it is too expensive, and the winters are too long and too cold
Once my parents are gone, we will have no emotional attachments here as well.
So, given that we plan to be gone no later than five years from now, what should we do in managing our house?
We have put in a new furnace, rewired it, and added a new kitchen. We also have added a downstairs bathroom, and repainted the interior. Basically, the house is in good shape (it is almost 90 years old). But like all old houses, it has inadequate closet space, and a small 1st floor bathroom.
The bathroom is OK-except it has a very dated look (old tiles and floor).
Should we sink any more money into this house? Or is it better to just maintain it as it is?
It is amazing-when we moved in, the future was so far away-now that we actually can see retirement looming, its kind of scarey…but in all fairness, i never really liked the house, so leaving it won’t bring any tears.
We just moved last year ourselves, after our own five year plan. In my opinion, I wouldn’t do any major renovations, as you won’t get your money back out of them. What people want to see is clean, in good repair, and ideally modern. Updating dated things is probably a good idea, as long as it’s more of a superficial reno; if you can easily and cheaply update the tiles and floor in the bathroom, I’d say go for it. People buying houses usually don’t see past the superficial; dazzle them with a couple of hundred dollars worth of current fixtures, and you’ll get the sale.
Paint the whole place beige, top to bottom. Okay, you can use a couple of shades of beige. 
People see a bright yellow kitchen and back away, scared. ETA: Forgot the rest of my point - fixing up a house to sell is different than fixing it up the way you like it; always default to neutral if you can.
Get your yard into shape if it isn’t already. Curb appeal is HUGE. Keep the shrubs and trees trimmed properly; work with the lawn to get any rough spots worked out. Five years is enough time for you to plant shrubs and perennials and have them looking really good by the time you go to sell. I’d put in at least a couple of nice beds if you haven’t already.