As-Is or Fix It Up First — Here's How I Actually Think Through That Decision With Estate Families

One of the most common questions I get from executors and trustees here in Denver, Colorado is some version of this: 'Should we put money into the property before we sell, or just sell it as-is?' And I'll be honest — there's no universal right answer. But here's how I think through it. In the current Denver market, buyer demand for move-in-ready homes is real, but so is the pool of investors and buyers who specifically want properties they can renovate themselves. The math that matters is whether the cost of preparing the property — repairs, updates, carrying costs during that prep time — actually comes back to you in the final sale price. Sometimes it does. A lot of times, it doesn't. What I've seen in estate situations is that families often overestimate the return on last-minute updates and underestimate how much time and coordination those updates require — especially when an executor is managing this from out of state or alongside a full-time job. An honest as-is valuation, grounded in what comparable properties are actually selling for in Denver right now, gives families a real baseline to make that decision from. Not a guess. Not a hopeful number. A real one. That's usually where I start the conversation. — Kevin Lundy | The HomeBridge Group