I've inherited an apartment that I don't want to renovate - should I rent it out or sell it?

The key is calculating whether the monthly rental income gives you better returns than selling now and investing that money elsewhere. If the apartment is in an area with rental demand and you don't need the money right now, renting could be a good option; but if property prices are high in your area or you prefer liquidity, selling frees you from the headaches of being a landlord (repairs, difficult tenants, taxes). The ideal thing is to do the math: divide the apartment's value by the monthly rent you could get - if it comes out to less than 20 months of rent, you're probably better off selling.

What nobody's gonna tell you is that renting out an inherited property has a pretty annoying hidden cost: the income taxes you'll generate, the maintenance expenses that inevitably come up (a leak, a problematic tenant), and the time you're gonna spend managing all of it. If you don't want to renovate it's probably because you don't want to be constantly dealing with the place either. Selling gives you immediate liquidity and zero responsibilities, even though you lose the option of future income - but that's only worth it if you actually invest that money in something that really yields more.

First things first, check how much it would cost you to maintain it without renovating: taxes, insurance, utilities, occasional repairs. If those expenses eat up more than 30-40% of what you could charge in rent, you're probably better off selling and calling it a day.

That said, selling now doesn't mean you have to invest the money in something else; you can leave the cash sitting while you decide. On the other hand, renting generates you a monthly income even if it's small, but it leaves you dealing with unpredictable repairs and tenants. It really comes down to whether you need that cash flow right now or if you'd rather get rid of the headache.

You're all focusing too much on the numbers, but you're overlooking an important detail: inheriting an apartment with no debt is a luxury not everyone has, so before you sell it just to sell it, think about whether you really need that capital right now or if the monthly cash flow works for you even if it's modest. What's definitely true is that if the property is in an area with real tenant demand and the annual expenses (taxes, maintenance, insurance) don't exceed 35-40% of what you make from rent, keeping it could be peace of mind in the long run without the stress of reinvesting. If on the other hand the apartment is in a neighborhood without much rental demand or it needs major repairs, then selling it and putting the money into something more liquid makes more sense.