This is the same question with anything else, like sports cars, Jeeps, watches, fashion. Homes may be the few place where custom upgrades are largely valued, though you can “overbuild” for the market. The average buyer of anything is a purist. He likes “factory.” He’s accepted the marketing. He’s told factory is important. “Restored” vehicles brings a certain warm feeling to the retro muscle car fan club.
Yet an educated buyer knows what upgrades are worth. But most buyers are just looking at blue books.
Danger Close and Agency Arms both sell modded glocks at a premium. And people buy a lot of them. But it comes with the warm fuzzy “factory” feeling and loads of marketing. And a buyer, again, is educated in what he’s getting: a basic general firearm that is “good enough.”
Upgrades add value if done right because value is in the piece itself. Quality frame mods, slide mods, and night sights, IMO, are most valuable for duty use. A match barrel perhaps for certain goals. But finding the right buyer who understands the value is another story. Hence why upgrades usually don’t add much to a price tag for someone who wants to sell quickly without also spending hours educating potential buyers in what they are looking at. Then again, try selling a brand new Glock barrel takeoff for retail. People won’t pay it. It lacks the warm fuzzy. Would we say the Glock barrel isn’t worth a Glock barrel?
I have a CZ in the EE case in point. When the right buyer comes along, he’ll see it’s a raging steal. He would pay more but I want a quicker sale. Hence my price is for the less informed purist willing to live a little.
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