Real Estate Expert, Tammy Beckley, taught us today how to look beyond the ugly and see the potential beauty in a house. 

Find and fix the perfect house at the right price

• Don't be afraid to look at the ugly house on the street or the one that has been passed over time and again---when you buy a move-in ready home you're paying the seller for all the work they've done on their wish list, not yours!
• Go for a cosmetic fixer-upper not one that needs major structural rehabs. A cosmetic update can make a night and day difference without costing a bundle

Think like a realtor

• Leave emotion out of it. Think smart. If you buy with your emotions you may not see the true potential beneath the dust.
• Do your due diligence. Have a professional fully inspect a property, then factor fixes into your offer.

Put on your contractor hat

• Smell a lot of air freshener or freshly baked cookies?  The seller could be trying to disguise an air quality problem or even mold! Don't be too shy to look behind furniture and under rugs too.
• Search for signs of poor surface workmanship and bad do-it-yourself jobs like wallpaper over a structural problem inside walls. Ask about previous work and investigate previous work permits.