Is replacing windows worth the ROI?

[Allison O.]

I recently bought a small house and want to give the exterior a facelift. The windows are an older wood in a cream color and most are hard to open. It would be pretty difficult to paint and somewhat costly to hire someone. I plan on staying 3-5 years then making the house a rental. Is it worth replacing or should keep the existing and try painting them?

[JD Martin]

You won't get any extra rent, so from that standpoint no. In fact, many of our renters never even open the windows. If the windows are rotted or severely damaged, it makes sense from a point of maintaining your property to replace them with vinyl replacement windows. Otherwise, you can clean, repaint, repair missing hardware, and add storm windows and make them just as efficient as replacement windows - but a bigger hassle for sure in the future. 

Or you can pick a happy medium. Replace the windows in the front of the house, or in the bedrooms, or something similar. Or replace 1-2 per year until they're all replaced. ETC. It doesn't have to be either-or. In any case, no you shouldn't expect a ROI on rental income for new windows. I don't think anyone has ever asked me about the window age in any of our properties in all the years I'm doing this.

New windows will add some value to the house, however. If you plan on pulling cash out of it or flipping it, they could be worthwhile.