Rehabbing a Section 8 Rental

[Rahma Z.]

Looking for advice and expertise! 

We are getting ready to start the rehab process on an investment property that we plan to use as a Section 8 eligible rental. Our dilemma is this : The house is 53 years old (1971 build). It can use new windows and kitchen cabinets (the current ones are still functioning fine) but aesthetically and for value purposes, could benefit from a rehab. We are putting in  new floors (there are none currently) , a fresh coat of paint, and having to redo a bathroom because of a subfloor repair, along with other knick knacks.  Anyways- if it were you, would you go ahead and redo the kitchen with new cabinets/granite, and put in new windows - or would you leave them as is - and spruce up the kitchen with a coat of paint to the cabinets as a temporary update , and just wait 5-10 years when it's time to sell to do those type of upgrades/rehab (New windows and New kitchen). Hubby says that the tenants will just destroy it and its best to just wait the 5-10 years to put the money into rehabbing those things, whereas I think we should do it now. What do you think?

Your thoughts/advice is very much appreciated!

[John Underwood]

I would only do repairs, not upgrades for a tenant.

Just make sure everything is clean and on good working order.