Homeowners who want to sell often worry about how their nondescript home will fare when competing with more attractive houses in their local real estate market. If you own a home that you feel may be hamstringed by its unremarkable exterior, the following tips can help boost appeal and attract more interest from qualified buyers.

Highlight the Most Interesting Features

If the outside is too plain to attract attention when pictured in marketing materials, homeowners will want to make sure that the images highlight any features that are capable of attracting attention. For instance, if the interior of the home has a beautiful fireplace, polished wood floors, or a stunning kitchen, they can use images of those areas to better attract the attention of qualified buyers. Although a listing in Brentwood may attract buyers based on location alone, selling quickly still requires some amount of effort to stand out.

Remember, however, that it is important to also provide images of the exterior of the home in all marketing materials, even though it may be considered plain or unattractive. This will prevent buyers from imagining the worst about the home and help them see that your plain home has beautiful features inside.

Find the Best Angle to Photograph a Plain Home

Homes that look very plain when seen from just one side may look much more attractive when photographed from an angle or even when shown from the back. Sellers who worry about how their home will look in marketing materials should take time to experiment with different camera angles, views, and times of day to learn how to make their plain home as photogenic as possible.

Update Features to Add Visual Interest

Sellers who have dull, boring homes may be able to freshen the appearance and add a spark of excitement with cost-effective changes or updates. Some good ones to consider include:

• Adding or removing landscaping plants around the perimeter of the home.
• Adding a fresh coat of paint to the interior and/or exterior of the home or adding an accent color to window frames, shutters, doors, or other surfaces or trim.
• Drawing attention away from the home by adding outdoor living spaces with attractive furnishings or an outdoor fireplace to boost perceived value.
• Creating a more welcoming entry area by using bright colors for chair cushions on the porch or flying a colorful flag from a post to add a focal point.
• Using bedding plants to fill flower beds, pots, and urns with brightly colored flowers in areas where the home needs a visible improvement.

Adding interest by using color will attract buyer attention and take the focus off an overly plain home's exterior.

Consider an Investor Sale

Homes that are unable to be improved in this manner or those that have other issues beyond being plain may be excellent candidates for an investor sale. Sellers who are interested in pursuing an investor sale should know that there are both advantages and disadvantages to this type of sale. Some of the most common advantages of selling a home to an investor usually include:

• A faster sale and closing process
• Acceptance of the home in as-is condition
• A cash offer or one with no finance contingency

The main disadvantage of selling to an investor is usually getting a lower offer than would be expected in a normal sale process.

Sellers who want additional ideas to improve the appeal of their home or those who would like to know more about an investor sale should discuss their needs with their real estate professional. Agents who successfully list and sell comparable homes in the area will be able to give sellers constructive advice to boost their home's market appeal. In addition, these agents will also be able to contact reputable investors in the area who may want to purchase the home.