Before you Fix it.

I took this photo while walking through an old house in Bramwell, West Virginia.

There was plenty that needed attention. Peeling paint. Damaged plaster. Overgrown grounds. Years of deferred maintenance.

And then there was this chandelier.

Still hanging there. Still beautiful. Still working.

It reminded me of something I’ve learned over the years in real estate:

You can spend an awful lot of money “improving” a property for a buyer you haven’t met yet.

When preparing a house for sale, it’s tempting to start making a list.

Paint this. Replace that. Update the kitchen. Change the floors. Modernize the fixtures.

Some of those things may absolutely need to be done.

But before spending the money, I think there are better questions to ask.

Will it affect the value?

Will it affect financing or insurance?

Will it keep a buyer from making an offer?

Will the seller get the money back?

And maybe most importantly:

Are we fixing a problem or simply changing something because it isn’t new?

That’s especially important with an older home.

The worn floors, old fireplace, unusual trim or hundred-year-old light fixture that one buyer considers dated may be exactly what another buyer falls in love with.

Deferred maintenance is one thing.

Character is another.

Knowing the difference can save a seller money and sometimes save a piece of a house that never needed fixing in the first place.

Good real estate advice isn’t always about what you should do.

Sometimes it’s knowing what not to do.

Whit