How to Sell a Unique or Unusual Home (Without Leaving Money on the Table)
Selling an unusual or “non-cookie-cutter” home can be both exciting and challenging — but with the right strategy, it can also be extremely rewarding.
Most homes in a given area fall into a fairly predictable range of size, price, layout, and features. A unique property breaks that mold. It might be a million-dollar waterfront home in a $150,000 neighborhood, a one-of-a-kind custom design, a rural property with acreage, or a house with an unconventional floor plan or high-end upgrades you don’t see every day.
Unique homes don’t fit neatly into the comparable sales around them, and they often appeal to a much smaller pool of buyers. That doesn’t mean they’re harder to sell — it means they require different pricing, marketing, and positioning than a typical subdivision home.
Recently, we helped sellers in the Greater Rochester NY area successfully sell a unique property after they specifically sought out an agent who understood how to market “non-cookie-cutter” homes. Strategic digital marketing, strong visuals, and target-buyer outreach were the difference between sitting on the market and a smooth, successful sale.
In this guide, you’ll learn practical, actionable tips for selling an unusual or unique home — from specialized marketing and staging to pricing, buyer targeting, and mindset.
Chapters – How to Sell a Unique or Unusual Home
- 1. What Makes a Home “Unique” — and Why It Matters
- 2. Use Unique, High-Impact Marketing
- 3. Don’t Skimp on Staging & Presentation
- 4. Understand Your Ideal Buyer & Target Them
- 5. Price a Unique Home Correctly (Including Appraisals)
- 6. Manage Expectations – Your Home Won’t Be for Everyone
- 7. Final Thoughts: Your Strategy for Selling a Unique Property
- About the Author & Rochester’s Real Estate Blog
1. What Makes a Home “Unique” — and Why It Matters
A unique home is one that doesn’t look or feel like the majority of properties in its area. Common examples include:
- Luxury or waterfront homes in areas where the average price is much lower
- Custom-built properties with one-of-a-kind layouts or architecture
- Homes with significant acreage, outbuildings, or specialized uses
- Houses with unusual floor plans, eclectic finishes, or extensive high-end upgrades
In the Greater Rochester NY area, where average home values are often around the mid-$100,000s, a million-dollar waterfront property is considered a unique home. The buyer pool is smaller, expectations are higher, and the marketing has to be more strategic than it would be for a typical neighborhood ranch.
It’s also important to separate “unique” from “overpriced.” Sometimes a home isn’t selling because it’s simply listed too high – one of the most common reasons a home isn’t selling. In other cases, it truly is unique and needs a tailored strategy rather than a cookie-cutter plan.
2. Use Unique, High-Impact Marketing
Whether your home is typical or one-of-a-kind, hiring a listing agent who understands modern marketing is critical. When you’re selling a unique home, however, average marketing simply isn’t good enough.
If your agent doesn’t know how to use advanced real estate marketing strategies — or isn’t willing to put in the effort — there’s a strong chance your home will sit, even if it’s priced correctly.
When you interview Realtors to sell your home, ask specifically how they’ll market your unique property. Key elements should include:
High-Quality Professional Photography
The vast majority of buyers start online, and they form an opinion about your home within seconds of seeing the photos. For a unique property, those photos must be outstanding.
- Use a professional photographer with a high-end camera and wide-angle lenses.
- Make sure lighting, composition, and angles highlight your home’s best features.
- Have images “cleaned up” — straightened, brightened, and color-corrected — without misleading edits.
If your agent shows up with just a smartphone and no plan for professional photos, that’s a clear sign you may have hired the wrong Realtor for a unique property.
High-Quality Aerial Photography
Many unique homes are special because of their setting — acreage, privacy, waterfront, nearby trails, or proximity to amenities. Aerial photography (drone images) helps buyers understand the “big picture” of where the home sits and how the land is laid out.
If your property:
- Is on or near the water
- Has significant land or outbuildings
- Backs to woods, a golf course, or open space
…aerial photos are a must. If your agent doesn’t personally offer drone photography, they should have a trusted vendor who does.
High-Quality Video Tours
Buyers who are considering a unique or higher-end home expect video. This may include a full property video, narrated tour, or a combination of video clips edited into a compelling walkthrough.
Video is especially important when:
- Your home would be considered a luxury property
- Out-of-area or relocation buyers are likely
- The floor plan or features are difficult to appreciate from photos alone
For unique properties, a video should feel polished and intentional — not just a shaky phone clip. As with photography, if your agent doesn’t have the skills or equipment, they should hire a professional who does.
A High-Ranking, High-Traffic Website
Believe it or not, there are still agents who either don’t have their own website or have one that only attracts a handful of visitors per month. For a unique home, that’s a huge missed opportunity.
You want your property showcased on a website that:
- Ranks well in search engines for local real estate and relocation queries
- Receives consistent, meaningful traffic from potential buyers
- Is built to feature in-depth articles, photos, and video about special properties
For example, when homeowners list with my team, we can position their unique home in front of people researching moving to Rochester NY, thanks to strong organic search rankings on the Rochester Real Estate Blog. If you’re selling a unique property, it only makes sense to work with an agent whose online presence can put your home in front of the right audience.
3. Don’t Skimp on the Staging
Staging by itself won’t sell a home that’s overpriced or poorly marketed, but for a unique property, it can be the difference between “I don’t get it” and “Wow, I can see myself living here.”
While there are many budget-friendly staging tips, cutting too many corners on a truly unique home usually isn’t a smart move. You’re already working with a smaller pool of buyers; you want each one to feel the full impact when they walk in the door.
Staging is especially important when:
- The floor plan is unconventional and buyers might struggle to visualize furniture layouts
- There are large, multi-purpose rooms that need clearly defined “zones” (office, lounge, game area, etc.)
- The architecture or finishes are bold and need to be balanced by neutral, cohesive décor
A top listing agent will either provide staging guidance themselves or bring in a professional stager who can highlight the uniqueness of your home in a way that feels intentional, not overwhelming.
4. Understand Your Ideal Buyer & Target Them
Unique homes rarely appeal to “everyone.” They typically attract a very specific type of buyer, which is why it’s critical to identify that person and build a plan to reach them.
Ask your agent:
- Who is the most likely buyer for this home?
- What lifestyle are they looking for?
- Where do they currently live and how will they find us?
Examples:
- A gated golf course home may appeal primarily to avid golfers or those seeking a country club lifestyle.
- A unique rural property may attract buyers who value privacy, land, and outbuildings for hobbies or animals.
- A highly upgraded modern home might appeal to busy professionals who want turnkey, low-maintenance living.
Once your ideal buyer is identified, your agent can tailor both online and offline marketing — from social media targeting to strategic print advertising — to place your property in front of the people most likely to fall in love with it.
Marketing a unique lakefront retreat to someone who cares only about urban walkability won’t be effective. On the other hand, promoting a golf-course home in publications or spaces golfers already love can be a home-run.
5. Price a Unique Home Correctly (Including Appraisals)
Pricing is often the single most important factor in whether any home sells — and it becomes even more critical when the property is unique. Determining the market value of a home is challenging enough with plenty of comparable sales. When there are few or no true “comps,” it gets trickier.
Most agents will start with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA), looking at recent sales, active listings, and expired listings. With a truly unique home, however, it may be impossible to find apples-to-apples comparisons.
When to Consider Paying for a Pre-Listing Appraisal
One smart strategy for unique properties is to invest in a professional appraisal before hitting the market. An appraisal:
- Provides an unbiased value opinion from a licensed appraiser
- Helps support your asking price when buyers and agents question it
- Can reduce the risk of appraisal issues once you’re under contract
Remember, if a buyer is obtaining a mortgage, their lender will order an appraisal anyway. Having your own appraisal up front can help you and your agent choose a pricing strategy with more confidence and be prepared for valuation questions later.
What you want to avoid is one of the classic home selling mistakes: significantly overpricing the home because it’s unique, then watching it sit, go stale, and ultimately sell for less than it could have if priced correctly from the start.
6. Manage Expectations – Your Home Won’t Be for Everyone
Whether your home is unique because of its price, location, architectural style, or high-end upgrades, it’s important to accept that it simply will not be for everyone — and that’s okay.
Some buyers will love the privacy but not the commute. Others will love the floor plan but not the finishes, or vice versa. When you’re selling a unique home, you need thick skin and a business mindset.
Letting emotions take over is one of the worst mistakes sellers can make. You want honest feedback, even if it stings a little, because it helps you and your agent adjust staging, marketing, or pricing so the home can appeal more strongly to the right buyer.
Focus on the goal — getting your unique property into the hands of someone who appreciates it as much as you do — and lean on your Realtor for guidance when emotions start to run high.
7. Final Thoughts: Your Strategy for Selling a Unique Property
Selling a unique or unusual home absolutely requires a different approach than selling a typical subdivision property. From high-impact marketing and thoughtful staging to targeted buyer outreach, accurate pricing, and the right expectations, each step plays a crucial role.
When you follow the tips above — and work with a Realtor who has hands-on experience with distinctive properties — your home can stand out for the right reasons and attract the buyer who truly appreciates what makes it special.
Thinking about selling a unique home in Rochester NY or the surrounding areas? If you’d like an honest, no-pressure conversation about your property and a customized plan to market it, I’d be happy to help you explore your options and see whether working together would be a good fit.
About the Author & Rochester’s Real Estate Blog
The above article, “5 Extraordinary Tips for Selling a Unique Home or Property”, was written by Kyle Hiscock, a top Rochester NY Realtor with Hiscock Homes at REMAX Realty Group.
Since being launched in 2013, I’ve published more than 150 in-depth, unique real estate articles on the Rochester Real Estate Blog, covering topics from home selling and buying to pricing strategies, inspections, mortgages, and detailed local market insights. In addition to real estate content, you’ll also find many helpful resources about living in the Greater Rochester NY area.
The Rochester Real Estate Blog has been recognized by many reputable websites as one of the best real estate blogs to visit and follow. I’ve also been recognized as one of the top Realtors on social media by several organizations and industry websites.
Rochester’s Real Estate Blog is owned and operated by Hiscock Homes at REMAX Realty Group — your trusted real estate professionals since 1987. If you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise.
We proudly service the following Greater Rochester NY areas: Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Fairport, Brighton, Greece, Gates, Hilton, Brockport, Mendon, Henrietta, Perinton, Churchville, Scottsville, East Rochester, Rush, Honeoye Falls, Chili, Victor, and the surrounding communities.
