Fortes Seller’s Minute: Repair vs. Price (and how to sell as-is without getting crushed)

Words I Like: Clarity creates leverage.

Fortes Seller’s Minute: Repair vs. Price (and how to sell as-is without getting crushed)

Most sellers say the same thing: “I don’t want to waste money fixing stuff… but I can’t sell it rough.”

Here’s the play I run with clients: don’t “fix the house.” Triage it. Because a lot of big projects don’t come back dollar-for-dollar at resale.

Do this week (3 buckets):

• Bucket 1: Buyer Fear (fix it). Safety, leaks, electrical red flags, obvious mechanical issues.

• Bucket 2: Buyer Eyes (polish it). Deep clean, lighting, paint touch-ups, curb-first photos. Small changes can lift offers.

• Bucket 3: Buyer Taste (skip it). Full remodels, trendy finishes, “perfect” upgrades.

• If you’re selling as-is, be proactive: consider a pre-sale inspection to remove surprises and position confidently.

Quick math: Spend $20,000 on a project that returns ~50%… you just paid ~$10,000 to sell.

Home-Selling Tip: If a repair won’t show up in your first 10 listing photos, it usually shouldn’t be first on your budget. As promised, value in under a minute.

Want me to triage your home into these 3 buckets? Reply “REPAIRS” (or just “SELL”) and I’ll send a quick, personalized plan.

PS - If you find value in this and you feel compelled, please share this newsletter if you know of anyone thinking of selling that this could help.