Need advices on floors and walls

[Matthew S.]

Need some advice on what to do or not do with the new property I bought for rental.

1) Kitchen area has knotty pine in great shape. I’m getting conflicting advice from friends - some say it is mid-century retro cool, others say to paint it all and the cabinets. One person said “try and add some mid century modern vibes to make it feel on purpose,” but I’m not sure what that would be. Also, the vinyl flooring is in pretty good shape, but would you do something different?

2) I pulled up the carpets and removed all the tack strips and staples. As you can see, the oak is is pretty great condition. Would you do a full sand or just buff and coat?

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Matthew S.:

I think it depends on your price point. Are you competing against other homes that are fully updated? What's the immediate neighborhood like? What's the vibe from the outside?

Personally, I wouldn't put much effort into the floors because they're more likely to get damaged and cost a lot to repair. I would definitely want to brighten up the kitchen.

We bought a 1970's home for a vacation rental a few years a back that was extremely dated, so we opted to go for a mid-century look and people love it.