Perspective

Henry David Thoreau once said: It's not what you look at that matters. It's what you see.

This is perfect. As a buyer, look beyond the presented and see into the possibilities. Strip away the superficial. Paint, screwdriver, lawnmower are all superficial. The bones of the building are important. Vision the "elbow equity", compare the cashflow with similar properties, gage the economic cycle of the neighborhood. None of these things are what you look at. They are what you see.