Buy 'ugly' for a pretty profit

WINNING ugly is a well-known concept in the world of sport but with home-ownership increasingly a strain on most people's pockets, property professionals are now urging us to buy ugly especially if you're looking to progress up the ladder.

- By Deborah Stone

"Buying an ugly duckling property can be a fantastic way of getting good value,” says Anto Clay, of Stacks Property Search.

"Properties that don't have that 'main picture' appeal can be as much as 20 per cent cheaper than a similarly sized property that's got classic looks.

"It really is possible to turn a duckling into a swan without a huge investment."

Colleague Anthony Pearce advises checking that the costs won't cancel out the savings but adds: "Some properties just don't have kerb appeal but can be prettied-up by re-cladding, painting the exterior, or rearranging the design of the outside space, such as replacing large quantities of hard landscaping with trees and green planting."