Sad truth is that there are so many inexperienced buyers, that the
airplane "users" always seen to have a ready market.

Or the only market.

Selling a well-maintained airplane is a losing proposition - you've put
in time and money to do the maintenance, but the average buyer has no
clue. He's comparing your airplane to the one that has all sorts of
stuff worn out - and costs 15% less.

Unfortuantely, the way to come out ahead on your airplane is to plan
the sale two or three years in advance (here I'm assuming about 200
hours a year utilization). Get the cheapest repairs possible, do the
absolute minimum, save the money and use to to get a paint job/inerior.
That will sell your airplane and let you get the money out. If you
spent the money on good maintenance, you would never get it back.

Michael