Should I renovate an inherited house before selling it?

Renovating an inherited house rarely pays for itself once you account for the cost, the time and the carrying expenses an estate absorbs while work is underway. Joel Boss points out the handful of repairs a buyer's inspection is likely to flag and leaves the rest alone, since most buyers of an inherited home already plan to update it their own way. Selling as-is after a basic clean-out is usually the better return.