Barbara Lane didn't think her modest two-bedroom house in Margate, Fla., was that ugly — at least on the outside. "It had a great backyard and beautiful trees," said Lane, 79, a retired great-grandmother who now lives in Boynton Beach, Fla. "It just needed some work." After Lane got laid off in 2016, her small pension and savings weren't enough to keep up with the rising cost of living and cover her monthly bills. She decided to sell her home, pay off the remaining mortgage and downsize by moving to a condo. But real estate brokers told her the property couldn't be listed unless she invested $...