Some of my clients think I'm a little crazy when I advocate for buying ugly houses. Now I'm not talking butt-ugly. I'm talking about the type of ugly that a coat of paint or perhaps new carpet will fix. And I advocate for that type of house because that is where the best deals are.
Houses with "Pottery Barn Decor" are fun to look at but you will "ohh and ahh" all the way to the bank if you purchase this type of house. Sparkling clean and tastefully decorated houses command top dollar but keep in mind that the furniture and art work will be gone when you move in.
Everybody wants to buy a beautiful house. It's just not as exciting to tell all your friends, "Well, it has green and orange shag carpeting from the '70's BUT the roof is new and the furnace is only a couple of years old!"
Here are a few tips for ugly house shopping. 
1. Do your homework so you can budget for remodeling jobs. Kitchens, for example, and be remodeled for a few thousand dollars or tens of thousands, depending on your standards. Even wall-to-wall carpeting comes in a wide variety of designs and quality and so no real estate agent can honestly give you a ball-park figure for these projects.
2. Have a checklist so that you are certain to check all the mechanicals, such as electric, hotwater heater, roof. It would be down-right depressing to have an ugly house that also leaks every time it rains. This is not to say you won't have the house inspected, but you should check for obvious problems before you put in an offer.
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2 comments:
But I like pretty houses! Yup, I'm one of the people who is just a sucker for some fresh paint. Hopefully you can help with that!
I completely understand where you're coming from with this article.
I recently bought a home in East Irondequoit. The previous owner had the home built in the 50's and I dont think she ever redecorated. Green Shag carpeting (gorgeous hardwood underneath), peach colored ceilings, dingy white walls and a formica counter. I bought the home for about $20,000 less than it would cost updated and spent less than a month and $5,000 making it suitable for my overly picky wife.
Structurally sound but cosmetically ugly houses can be a great deal!
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