Selling an Undesirable House

The goal of anyone listing their home is to show it off in the most eye-catching way possible, highlighting all the good and hiding its lesser qualities. But there are some houses that just aren’t great attractions.

For example, you may have inherited a home and, because of its age, condition and location, your only option is to sell it. But you probably don’t have the time, energy or resources to get it in for-sale condition, especially if major work or renovations need to be done.

Not to say there aren’t some ways to clean it up a bit. You can hire a reputable cleaning company to come in and do what they can by removing dust and making sure it at least has that fresh smell, and you can see if a local handyman can make some easy fixes. But if you’re looking for a quick sale, you’re going to have to just realize that you’re not going to get a price comparable with other sales in the neighborhood.

This doesn’t mean your home won’t sell. There is a market for any house and some people even look for undesirable homes either as investment opportunities or to move into a particular neighborhood that they might not otherwise be able to afford.

People like a good deal—especially when buying a house. And if a house hunter sees the potential in the home, and the price is right, the house could actually sell rather quickly.

A good thing to do is get estimates of what certain fixes would cost, and you could show potential buyers upfront what costs they may be looking at in the future. Leave brochures for new cabinets in the kitchen, color palates around the bedrooms and even create computerized images of what updates could look like. This will let the imagination flow for those looking at the house.

You still should clean and do what you can—especially in a couple of rooms so you can get some quality photos to bring people in. Be honest with your listing, however, and call it a “fixer-upper” as to not waste people’s time.

Never underestimate the value of a low price. A potential buyer can use the money saved to make the changes they want and possibly wind up with more of what they wanted from their wishlist than had they bought a house in perfect condition. If they saved $50,000 on the price, that’s money that can be put to use to renovate the home the way they want.

Remember, a house that’s “down and out” doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck with it forever. By being practical and honest, things can work out in your favor.