Selling An Ugly House: Smart Tips To Help Make Your Home More Saleable

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Selling An Ugly House: Smart Tips To Help Make Your Home More Saleable

19 September 2017
 Categories: Real Estate, Blog


It's a fact, some houses are less attractive than others. Whether the problem is caused by an odd design, an ungainly renovation, or the home just suffers from a boring, nondescript exterior, homeowners who want to enjoy a good sales experience will need to find a way to overcome the issue and make buyers want to see the inside. If you are a homeowner currently faced with selling a plain house, the following tips can help you improve the appearance and enjoy more buyer interest:

Utilize low-cost exterior improvements to add visual interest

In many cases, uncomfortably plain homes appear excessively angular and unwelcoming because they lack sufficient landscaping to soften the sharp angles and frame the home more effectively. This is often a problem in modest subdivisions where homes are similar in size, design, and color and the lots are small and bare of trees and bushes. Good options for these homes might be to transplant large bushes or place potted evergreens along each side of the front step to draw the eye to the entry and make the home seem more welcoming:

Additional low-cost improvements to dressing up the front of a plain home include: 

  • painting the door a bright, contrasting color and carrying touches of that color across the front of the home by installing simple, inexpensive shutters or window boxes
  • adding a cozy outdoor seating area in a corner of the front lawn yard, complete with brightly colored cushions and pots of lush greenery and cheerful flowering plants, like geraniums or begonias 
  • painting boring concrete porches and steps a vivid color and then adding a cheerful welcome mat and potted plants near the door

Experiment with camera angles to make your home more attractive

Homes often look less attractive than they really are simply because the camera angle was bad or the lighting was wrong. If your home seems unattractive when photographed, take time to practice different camera angles and experiment with different times for photographing the home. 

Photos that appear too dark or shadowy may have been taken when the photographer was facing the sun, causing the photograph quality to be poor or shadowy. Instead, try taking a photo of the home's front when the sun is behind your back as you face the home. This will help reduce shadows and ensure the home is bathed in attractive natural light. 

For even more tips to help you make your Plain Jane home more attractive to prospective buyers, ask your listing agent for ideas. Their experience in selling all types of houses will help them offer you advice geared to help you enjoy the best possible selling experience. 

Contact local real estate agents for more information and assistance.