The art of selling a quirky home, especially one in the city where real estate can be…extra quirky…is more than writing an adjective laden listing. After all, everyone knows cute means small. Instead, here are a few real solutions for common real estate quirks.

 

Low Ceilings—make sure your ceilings are white and the walls are light to draw the eye upward. The finish on molding should be matte and the same color as the ceiling. If you don’t have molding, add cove molding to elongate the wall. Floor to ceiling sheers over the windows also give a tall illusion. Low profile, minimalist furniture tops off a clean, bright look.

 

Windows that face another building (or no windows!)—if a window faces a brick or otherwise dark wall, one solution is to place a high-wattage daylight bulb behind the curtains, giving the illusion of sunlight. Another solution is the old standby of bright pops of color or white venation blinds to reflect light and obscure an unattractive view. Another option is a stained glass window or window film.

 

An awkward layout- the only solution is to rework the layout. This doesn’t mean you have to do the construction, by having your real estate agent show the potential buyers a vision of the space potential, you can sell an awkward floor plan.

 

A ground floor facing the street—The key to selling ground floor units is live plants in window boxes. The color and greenery add a garden feel to a city space. Combine with bottom up curtains that are sheer at the top and opaque at the floor, and you are covered inside and out.

 

Photo by Cody Hughes @clhughes21