Is this home attached or detached?

Is it in an HOA or other type of community where changes/improvements/landscaping is restricted?

These answers will help with your decision.

Water comes from the desk above the green corrugated material. That would be a red flag for me. You are turned off by the exterior, so are others. It is not attractive on the outside, but, I agree the inside looks good.

How well do they maintain the outside and do they allow people to make there own changes? I see a red deck and a beige deck.

That green fiberglass was undoubtedly installed to keep the patio below dry but, as noted above, may be causing issues with the deck. A rollout awning might be a better solution.

Mansard roofed houses, like raised ranches, were a lower-cost way to create more interior space. That cheaper build cost translates into lower sales price down the road. If the space works for you, fine, but don't overpay.

In purchasing our last home, we hated the backyard - access/privacy/size and without being able to sufficiently modify over the years it always remained a sore thumb. We still would have purchased it though, as everything else outweighed the yard.

Weigh location, price, upkeep, maintenance of development, neighbourhood, school ratings, condition and items needing upgrades/cost etc. An inspection would be very helpful. It’s rare that everything is perfect - consider if all the pros outweigh the cons, vs just being focussed on the look of the outside.

I assume this is an attached townhouse. If so, it seems to me that people who are interested as buyers because of the location and/or amenities the complex offers would accept the looks of the exterior as a given. In a situation there is no opportunity for the homeowner to individualize or change the exterior design.

The green corrugated fiberglass would definitely have to go however, no matter what.

I have a client who purchased a row house in an urban location about 3 years ago. Did many updates-- it sorely needed them as it had been neglected for years and turned into a multi-unit rental. When we were done it was gorgeous inside. The outside was kind of bland. It was in a historic zone and there were minimal to no changes allowed to make the curb appeal more enticing. Though the location was incredible the house itself didn't have that exterior wow factor she was looking for. She made the inside wonderful but couldn't get past the lack of curb appeal.

So she sold it this summer and bought a place with curb appeal to spare. We are now working to make the inside of the house as beautiful as the outside. The point is, for some people, curb appeal is as important as the way the place looks on the interior. They need to get that "I love that house" feeling as soon as they approach. For others it doesn't matter as long as the interior is what they want. If it matters to you, don't buy a house that you think is unattractive. Especially if its in a planned community where you can't change the way it looks in any significant way.

I am probably the dissenting vote here. I am an agent and find that many people particularly first or even second buyers often love the inside more then The outside. You have looked at a lot of homes and the inside seems to be what you want. I often tell people that unless they have a lot of money they are lucky to get 70 percent of what they want. I don’t think the outside is ugly. It’s a little clunky but...the inside is great. If you think it is priced well for your market I would say buy it and move up in a few years.

Landscaping can do wonders.

There’s a lot to like there, like the back yard! Landscaping in front will make it so much better, and I imagine you can do a little something in back, too. Like maybe block the view of the neighbor’s shed. But what a nice view out beyond the fence! Is that a creek?

That interior has a real WOW factor.. the exterior not so much, but nothing some good landscaping cant make better!

What's going on with the lower brick in front - looks like it's wicking moisture up from the base or ground.

Anne

Very well said Greta.

To me the place looks like it's actually dark on the interior. That would be a fast no for me.

Many of us are not as beautiful on the outside as we are on the inside :) And others have a nice package containing a lot of problems! Let's hope the OP finds a great home that is a fit for what she needs. Who among us can say that our home was 100% perfect when we found it? Very few in my experience.

The windowless kitchen would kill it for me, and the big sliders that could let light in are all under cover!

I like the outside. it brings back nice memories of growing up in that era

Gargamel me too. If an apartment complex stated French in their name back before about the early 90s you could almost guarantee that this would be the style of the building. Although I preferred the ones with light grey paint and darker gray roofing.

For most people, purchasing a home is a compromise.

You have looked at 30 homes. Each with pluses and minuses, but this one is the first one with enough positives to make you want to make an offer. That means that you found the best home within your budget. It may not have everything you wanted, but few of us have the money to get everything we want.

Make an offer and keep your fingers crossed that you get the house.

I like Mansard style houses and wouldn't consider it a negative.

Never judge a book by its cover right? Will you spend more time inside enjoying the layout or outside looking at the “weird“ (as you put it) exterior?

Non pro here. I didn’t like the exterior of my last two houses. However, loved both the inside layouts. I got used to the exterior in the second one very quickly actually - just a few months. The second one, not really, but I learned not to let it bug me. I wish you the best. You sound like this house is a winner for many reasons other than the exterior.

That looks like a mansard roof. Some people don't like them. I like the look of these units; they have a natural look to them. But there is much to be said about liking the drive-up appeal of your home.

We bought a house whose exterior I hated. It took us 14 years before we updated our exterior and now I loooove pulling up to the house. Thankfully, everyone else loves it too. Good luck.

Curb appeal is overrated. Location and comfort for how you live are what count. If it bugs you, you can always paint or replace siding down the road.

I’d also look at how the outside of the Units on either side look. You’ll be looking at them a lot, too! Especially the back yard. I see a shed or two, are they doing work in the yard that could affect your peaceful enjoyment of yours?