- Love this take. I’ve always thought “perfect” wood was the only way to go, but seeing
makes me rethink things.“sometimes the ‘imperfections’ are what sell the place, not what hold it back”
- I’m all about keeping costs down, so if character grade can save money and still look good, that’s a win.
- Had a friend who did reclaimed pine floors—knots, nail holes, all of it. Looked way more interesting than my cookie-cutter laminate.
- Curious though, does this approach ever scare off buyers who want everything pristine? Or is that just a myth?
Curious though, does this approach ever scare off buyers who want everything pristine? Or is that just a myth?
Honestly, it can go either way. Some folks see knots and “imperfections” as character, others see them as flaws. In my experience, buyers looking for a home with personality tend to love the quirks—especially with reclaimed or character-grade wood. The ones who want everything pristine usually aren’t shopping in that price range anyway, or they’re planning to gut-renovate regardless. I’ve seen more people drawn in by unique touches than turned off, but you’ll never please everyone.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually seen buyers get hung up on little things more than you’d think. Had a couple walk away over some “character” in the floors—just not their style, I guess. Sometimes even folks in the mid-range want that new-build look, no quirks at all. It’s not always about price point either...some just have zero tolerance for anything less than perfect.
- Definitely seeing the same thing—some buyers are hyper-focused on details most people wouldn’t even notice.
- Even minor floor scratches or slight color variations in tile can be dealbreakers for certain folks.
- I’ve had projects where we spent hours debating grout color because the “wrong” shade was a non-starter.
- It’s not always about budget, either. Sometimes it’s just a personal preference for that flawless, uniform look.
- Honestly, I wish more people appreciated a bit of character...but I get it, everyone’s got their own vision of “perfect.”
Funny thing, I had a client once who literally brought a magnifying glass to the final walk-through—spent twenty minutes inspecting every inch of the hardwood. I get wanting things just right, but sometimes I wonder if chasing “perfect” actually makes people less happy with the end result. Has anyone found a good way to set expectations early on, or is it just part of the job now?
