06/04/2026
It took less than 90 seconds to know it was a no.
Not because of hours analyzing every detail.
Not because I ran every number.
I knew quickly because they both failed what I call the “Tiebreaker Test.”
Here’s what that looks like.
When a buyer is choosing between your listing and two or three others that are similar in price, size and location, is there one thing about yours that would drive them to choose another property instead?
That one thing is your tiebreaker. And the moment I can identify one I move on.
For one of the houses today, it was a neighboring property. Completely outside my control no matter how much I put into the renovation. Tiebreaker. Next.
On the other it was the backyard. There wasn’t one. And I can’t create outdoor space when the lot simply doesn’t allow it. Tiebreaker. Next.
There were other things that made both properties less than appealing. But I didn’t need to even think about that. The Tiebreaker Test already told me everything I needed to know.
And here’s the thing about these dealbreakers. Neither of these were visible from a listing photo or a Zillow scroll. These would have only been identified from walking the properties.
That’s the process. And it’s what separates investors who protect their profit from investors those who learn expensive lessons.
I use this same filter with my traditional buyers (and on my own home) too. Before you decide to buy ask yourself honestly, if everything else was equal, is there one thing here that someone to the house down the street instead?
Comment FFF if you want to learn how I evaluate deals.
