Fortes Seller’s Minute: Repair vs. Price (Stop Fixing What Buyers Don’t Pay For)

Words I Like: Every dollar you spend before listing should have a job.

Fortes Seller’s Minute: Repair vs. Price (Stop Fixing What Buyers Don’t Pay For)

If you’re staring at a long repair list, it’s easy to think, “We have to fix everything or buyers will destroy us.”

Here’s the truth: most big renovations don’t pay you back 1:1 at resale. Buyers pay the most for clean, safe, move-in ready—not perfection.

So instead of guessing, use the same filter I use with sellers:

This week’s roadmap (do this):

• Make 3 columns: Must-Fix, Photo-Fix, Price-Fix.

• Must-Fix: safety, leaks, major systems. These can kill deals or appraisals—get quotes and knock these out first.

• Photo-Fix: things that pop in photos—paint, flooring, hardware. Cheap, neutral updates here often give you the highest ROI and fastest showings.

• Price-Fix: bigger “nice to have” projects. Instead of spending $25K on a full bath or kitchen, check: will buyers actually pay that back, or can we simply price $10–15K lower and let them choose finishes?

Common mistake: Sellers pour money into “HGTV projects” that buyers never fully repay, then still end up negotiating on price.

Home-Selling Tip: When a buyer or agent asks about an outdated area, try:

Short, calm, and it frames the house as an opportunity—not a project dump.

As promised, value in under a minute (ish).

If you want a quick, personalized plan for your repair list and price range, hit reply and just type “SELL.”

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.