So you know you have an ugly house, but you also know you can’t afford a full home renovation. Don’t worry — this isn’t a problem.
Selling an ugly house, or “fixer-upper,” as the DIYers happily call it, can be difficult but doable. There are tips and tricks any home seller can use to make sure they get the best offer on their home, even if it’s an ugly duckling.
We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to help get you out of your house and a happy buyer in. If you use our research, you’ll find that you can sell your ugly house as-is with a few simple adjustments and marketing hacks.
Tips for Selling an Ugly House in VT
You may be thinking that your house is unsellable. But that’s probably not true. Whether you are selling a house with fire damaged or merely outdated features, you can get cash out of your house.
You might need some costly repairs, or maybe a simple spruce up. Whatever is going on in your house, you can sell it for something.
If you want to sell an ugly house fast, there are a few things you’ll need to think about regardless of your situation.
Know the Local Housing Market
The first thing you should do is compare yourself to others. This is pretty straightforward. You can look up other homes for sale in Vermont, preferably within a few miles of your own, and see what price they’re listed at and what condition they’re in.
This is how you can figure out how much you should invest in your home and what you should price it at so it sells.
Additionally, you can ask Vermont real estate experts, “What is valuable for others to buy my house Vermont?”
Research the Competition
You should go to a few open houses to determine if other homes are in better or worse shape than yours. Pictures don’t always tell the full story.
Once you know where you and your house stand, you’ll be able to set a competitive price. You might really have the ugliest house in Vermont, or you’ll find you’re actually ahead of the competition.
If your home needs some cosmetic remodeling but no structural upgrades, you can price it higher than a home with a crumbling foundation or damaged roof.
This is why it’s so important to do your research. If it turns out your home is one of the biggest fixer-uppers in the area, you’re going to have to do some basic repairs, work to convince buyers that they should be ok doing those repairs, or price it low to sell.
You might also find that investing in larger upgrades is worth it. Know what buyers want. If you only lack a few things that fast-selling homes have, you can try adding them.
If, for instance, homes with a heated driveway are selling for thousands of dollars more than yours, it could be worth the investment. If you have the money and your house is already comparable to other high-end homes, you can see a high return on investment.
The research will let you know what you have and what you’re worth.
Highlight Your House’s Good Qualities
You shouldn’t trust photos when doing your research, and you shouldn’t expect buyers to either. Highlight your home’s best features in the listing and talk them up (or have your real estate agent do this) when you have people see the place.
If you have outdated flooring or wallpaper, mention that your roof or HVAC has been recently replaced. You should always specifically talk about any new or money-saving features you have if any.
Even if your home is a true fixer-upper with extensive damage, you can find something positive. If there’s something special about the location, any leftover original features, or the lot is bigger than it looks, or you’ve priced it lower than any other home, mention these things.
Spruce Your House Up
A spruce up isn’t the same as a full renovation. If you have the time and money, a spruce up can increase the value of your ugly home and get more buyers interested.
If you’re selling your home with furniture, make sure everything is cleaned and buffed. Highlight any quality pieces you’re including. Throw out anything that can’t be saved. Decluttering is key when making a space seem homey yet not overwhelming.
Fix any minor things you can afford to fix or do it yourself. Spackling a wall or fixing a drippy faucet isn’t a huge or expensive endeavor. Hire a cleaning crew, or perform a deep clean yourself before showing or photographing your ugly house.
Paint is easy to change. If you have the budget, you can paint your interiors and exterior in neutral colors so that buyers can imagine their own style in the space. On-trend colors change all the time. But if you choose correctly, you can increase your sale price significantly.
If you’re unsure about what to do, you can consult companies that buy houses in Burlington.
Advertising on Social Media
You can go door-to-door, leaving open house flyers in and around your neighborhood, or you can use the far reach of the internet.
A cheap way to get the word out about your house is to advertise on social media. Facebook and Twitter ads can be highly targeted, and they don’t cost as much as you think they might. A well-curated Instagram page can let you show off the best angles of your ugly house.
Should You Sell Your Ugly House As Is?
If all of this sounds like too much, and you’re still wondering, “How do I sell my ugly house fast?” without all of this other work, then you can try doing nothing.
You should always be upfront when you’re selling a house. This is especially true when you’re selling an ugly house. Don’t pretend buyers can’t see your 80s carpeting or the poorly landscaped lawns.
Be honest about what work they need to do, and then tell them why it’s worth doing it. This goes back to what we talked about before, highlighting the home’s best features. Even if you do nothing, there’s something you can talk about.
Could You Sell Your Ugly House for Cash?
Cash buyers in Vermont are actually quite popular. This means that if you are selling the house for cash, an offer isn’t out of reach even for the ugliest property in Vermont.
If you follow the guidelines we laid out, sprucing up your home and highlighting anything it has working for it, you can potentially sell your ugly house to an all-cash buyer.
You could also try to find a Vermont-based house buying company. These companies buy homes directly from the homeowner rather than going through a real estate agent. If they see something worthwhile, you could sell your ugly house for cash in very little time.
Conclusion
Selling your ugly house in Vermont isn’t a lost cause. Some sellers might have to do more than others, but even if you can’t afford to, there are ways to sell a buyer on your ugly house.
If you do your research, you may even find that you can put in very little work for a big return on investment.
If you choose to do nothing, there are places you can turn for help. You can always talk up the best of your home’s current features.
Lastly, if you have the time and budget, then there’s plenty of simple things you can do. Remember, a coat of paint, cleaning, decluttering, and fixing whatever’s fixable will get you a very long way in selling your ugly house fast.