OP:

Thanks all! Yes the house is paid off and has been for a few years. Thought about getting a rowing machine and an elliptical for the basement and use another room for something else fun and relaxing for us. Kitchen makes sense just never considered it.
Thanks again!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move. You are empty nesters, enjoy the peace. Don't take on a big project like this that will not provide a good return on investment. Just move to a place that meets your new needs.

Makes perfect sense to take on a new mortgage at 7% at this stage of their lives.

PP: If they are empty nesters they would presumably be downsizing and no long needing good schools. They should be approaching the point where they no longer need a mortgage.

Anonymous wrote:Move. You are empty nesters, enjoy the peace. Don't take on a big project like this that will not provide a good return on investment. Just move to a place that meets your new needs.

Makes perfect sense to take on a new mortgage at 7% at this stage of their lives.

Move. You are empty nesters, enjoy the peace. Don't take on a big project like this that will not provide a good return on investment. Just move to a place that meets your new needs.

Kitchen.

100% Kitchen

Kitchen is better for resale, and you use it every day.

Anonymous wrote:Why do a couple of empty-nesters need a basement? When you have family over, the one thing you want is a nice working kitchen!

Right! The basement would have been ideal for when you had middle or high schoolers who had all their friends over.

"with they don't make them like this any more in too many places cabinets" What does that mean? They absolutely still make quality cabinets. I own some. Do yours go to the ceiling, soft close, 100% drawers on the bottom? New kitchens are just so incredible to work in compared to old, standard 80s kitchens.

I would do the kitchen. If you're looking for resale value- kitchen is the best. Plenty of homebuyers actually still like unfinished basements. I know that dh and I specifically looked for an unfinished one because we hated the finishes most people put in basements and dh is a woodcrafter who wanted a perfect workshop for himself.

Anonymous wrote:Why do a couple of empty-nesters need a basement? When you have family over, the one thing you want is a nice working kitchen!

+1

Why do a couple of empty-nesters need a basement? When you have family over, the one thing you want is a nice working kitchen!

Empty nesters want to tackle a reno. The plan was to finally finish and unfinished basement. Our kitchen is 35/40 years old with they don't make them like this any more in too many places cabinets (Plain and Fancy, oak, that late 80s gold color). There is normal wear and tear but over the years many have remarked how good they still look. About 2 weeks ago 2 of the cabinets started to fall apart. They have since been secured but it is affecting the stove and parts of other cabinets. We're not big cookers anymore but friends and family have overwhelmingly said update the kitchen and save the basement for later.
Which space would you do?