If you’ve got an ugly house for sale, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed if not altogether hopeless. After all, who’s going to want to buy the place? You’re moving, so obviously, you don’t even want to live there.
However, before you give up all hope, take a minute to read through this article. We’ll light the way to selling your ugly home and give you alternative options if you don’t feel like taking your chances on the market.
Keep reading for all the details.
1. Hire an Experienced Real Estate Agent
First, if you’re intent on selling your home on the market and hoping to get as much money as possible out of it, you need to get yourself and experienced realtor. Real estate agents know how to appeal to buyers, even if you’ve got an ugly house for sale.
Moreover, real estate agents know the market and, if they have ample experience, know the neighborhoods pretty well, too. They can offer insightful information in terms of how to sell during a seller’s market versus how to sell during a buyer’s market. They will also be quite helpful in helping you determine what work should be done, at a minimum.
2. Determine Your Target Audience
Next, you need to figure out who you should target in terms of marketing your home. For example, are you trying to interest young couples looking for a fixer-upper or should you set your sights on the house-flippers in your area?
In the first scenario, there may be some initial repairs and upgrades necessary to sell the home. Some lenders won’t approve a house loan if the home has any red flag issues. Depending on the lender and loan type, this could be mold, water damage, negative drainage, chipping paint, etc.
In the second scenario, you’ll have greater freedom to sell the home as-is. The buyer who intends to flip the house for a profit after major renovations will get a good deal on the house, knowing it’s in a state of disrepair.
3. Prioritize Upgrades, Repairs, and Renovations
If you’ve got an ugly house for sale but still want to capitalize on it as much as possible, expect some work in your future. As suggested above, many lenders won’t even consider a property unless it’s in pristine condition (in terms of liveability). Any issues that are considered to be in contradiction to the home’s or resident’s well-being will be a red flag on the home inspection.
With the help of your real estate agent, figure out what your top priorities are. Depending on how much time and money you want to invest, you may have a large list of projects. However, if the return on your interest from doing all the projects has the potential to come up short, it may be time to consider selling the home as-is.
4. Make Sure the House Is as Clean as Possible
Regardless of what condition it’s in, an ugly house for sale can still be immaculately cleaned. Start by significantly decluttering the place, if not moving out entirely. This will help things feel cleaner, nicer, and more open.
If your furniture is as ugly as your home, get rid of it. You can put stuff in storage or move it to your new home if you already have one. Then, start the cleaning process.
Now is not the time to be shy. Go to town cleaning everything from top to bottom, spending extra time in the traditional “icky” areas like the bathroom and kitchen. An ugly home is hard enough to sell, but an ugly and dirty home is nearly impossible.
5. Capitalize on Any Selling Points
While you (and others) may consider your home ugly, it doesn’t mean the place doesn’t have anything to offer potential homeowners. Homes in disrepair are typically older, which means they have a lot potential to be charming, if not a little quirky.
Capitalize on anything unique to your home. It may be a built-in china cabinet, ornate archways, original wood flooring, a massive hearth where warm fires blaze, etc. You need to show potential buyers how much value the home has and why.
It may also help to mention in your ads about proximity to important locations such as parks, downtown markets, quality schools, etc.
6. Boost Your Curb Appeal
Next, an ugly home for sale can still have an appealing property. For example, if you have a big yard full of trees, make sure people feel the importance of a lovely yard.
This may mean putting in some work to mow the lawn, pull weeds, trim trees, and bushes, and clear away clutter, debris, and leaves. Remember the yard will be a buyer’s first impression of the home. And it isn’t unreasonable to assume a buyer can be swayed in the right direction by a stunning property, even if the house isn’t exactly what they wanted. If you don’t know which plants and trees would work best, consult Round Rock tree professionals for tree planting and they will provide a free consultation and guidance.
7. Price the Home to Sell
While we all want to get the best deal possible when selling our homes, we have to be realistic. If you’ve got an ugly home for sale, it means accepting that you may have to lower your asking price.
Do a little market research first. See what other homes in your neighborhood are selling for in the current market and then compare and contrast those homes to yours. Try to be as fair and unbiased as possible when pricing your home, though your realtor can help you out here as well.
8. Consider Selling to a Property Cash Buyer
Finally, if you’ve got an ugly house for sale and you’re ready to be done with it, you have another option. Instead of doing a ton of work to your house and hoping it sells on the market, consider selling it to a property cash buyer.
For example, some companies promise that “We Buy Any House” and can complete the sale in as little as four days. The best part is, they buy houses in all conditions. No matter what’s wrong with your house, you won’t be required to invest time or money in it before it can sell.
While it’s true, this won’t be the way to get the most money as possible for your home, it will be the easiest and most guaranteed way to get your ugly house sold.
Got an Ugly House for Sale?
If you’ve got an ugly house for sale, it’s okay, just follow the advice above and we’re sure you’ll have it sold in no time! However, if you’re looking for a little more advice, be sure to check out some of our other related articles. You might find another game-changer in there!