Several years ago I sold a brand new condominium unit in a rather nice development to a buyer who had been looking for some time. I recall how she showed up for the pre-closing walk through inspection and created the lengthiest, most detailed punchlist in the history of real estate. Did she have the right to expect perfection at this price-point? Probably. When you pay an e premium for something brand new, you do have the right to be more demanding, I guess.

Flash forward several years later and this same person decided to sell their home. Contrast the demand for perfection when buying to the attitude when selling. This person, now a seller, was bothered when I suggested a coat of paint to clean up very scuffed walls, a quick once-over with grout in the bathrooms to seal up cracking seams, and a few other essentials anyone would consider reasonable when selling an expensive home.

Ah, the difference between (the same) buyer and seller expectations can at times be rather astounding?