I’m a property expert and here are 19 things that will put off people buying your home… from garden gnomes to drying clothes
- Property expert from Purplebricks has listed ‘icks’ that will put off homebuyers
- READ MORE: 13 ‘trendy’ home improvements that could DEVALUE your house
A leading property expert has revealed the top turn offs for potential home buyers – or as it’s known to some – including Love Island fans – things that give them the ‘ick’.
The last thing you want when trying to sell your house is to inadvertently leave it looking less attractive than it might be, leading to lower offers – or even no offers at all if it looks particularly unattractive.
So, what are the biggest turn offs for buyers looking for their next home and how can you avoid them? Cleaning up mould, taking an air freshener to nasty smells and cleaning your toilet could be a good start!
Property expert Vince Courtney, chief sales officer of online estate agent Purplebricks has revealed his list of the top 19 ‘icks’ to help homeowners out when selling their property, according to a new survey.
Some of the issues could affect the perceived value of your home – and while some require a lot of work, others are a relative breeze to fix, such as picking up your underwear off the floor or hiding away your garden gnomes in the shed for viewings.
Property expert Vince Courtney (pictured), chief sales officer of Purplebricks has revealed his list of the top 19 ‘icks’ to help homeowners out when selling their property
Mr said: ‘There are many things that put buyers off a home at a viewing – so make sure your property doesn’t feature any of the things that could make selling it tougher.
‘A lot of it comes down to simply cleaning your home correctly. But, if you have deeper damage within the home causing issues, get it checked out before opening your home to buyers so that it doesn’t pose any further problems for you or a future owner.’
From mould and damp patches on the wall, deterring near three quarters of potential buyers, to nasty smells and dirty toilets, here are property expert Vince Courtney’s top 19 property ‘icks’.
1. Mould and damp patches on the walls
Mould and damp would put nearly three in four potential buyers off choosing your house as their next home
If you have mould on your walls or elsewhere in your home, clean it off using household items, soap and water or bleach as soon as you can, and repaint any stained areas.
According to our research it would put nearly three in four (75%) potential buyers off choosing your home as their next home.
To stop damp patches appearing, it helps to ventilate your home. These wouldn’t be the biggest turn-on for a potential buyer, especially if they have health problems which could be related to mould.
2. Mouse or rat traps
Nothing says welcome to my home like finding traps for mice and rats
Nothing says welcome to my home like finding traps for mice and rats.
If you have problems with rodents or other furry home invaders, it would be a good idea to resolve any issues humanely before you have a viewing, as traps will not create a good first impression.
3. Nasty smells
It is understandable that a smelly home would put someone off.
Opening doors and windows for ventilation and using candles, oil diffusers and air fresheners are all good ways to make the home smell nicer and fresher – but there’s no substitute for finding the root cause of the smell and getting rid of it for good.
4. Mould or limescale in the bathroom
Ventilate your home and use vinegar on a cloth to scrub away limescale so your bathroom looks and smells clean. You can also help deal with steam and bathroom moisture by putting your extractor fan on and opening windows when it is possible.
5. Cigarette smoke and littered butts in the garden
Don’t smoke when someone is visiting your home for a viewing. And don’t forget to clean up those cigarette butts in the garden
It goes without saying; don’t smoke when someone is visiting your home for a viewing. And clear the ashtray away too.
Sellers don’t have to let buyers know if they smoke in the home, but it can damage a home in the long term by staining walls and ceilings. They’ll probably be able to smell it anyway, but it’s best off avoided.
And don’t forget to clean up those cigarette butts in the garden, even if you don’t smoke in the house, any signs of someone smoking on the property can imply someone smokes in the house and can be an instant turn off for people.
6. Dirty toilet
As part of your cleaning routine for when a potential buyer comes, ensure the toilet is cleaned for obvious reasons.
7. Bugs and flies crawling around in the house
If you have bugs, try and find something that may be decaying in your home and get rid of it
If you have lots of bugs, try and find something that may be decaying in your home and get rid of it. If the numbers are fewer but they are persistent, use scents like lavender, citrus or pine to repel them.
Herbs and flowers planted in your garden also help. A mix of vinegar and soap in a cup allows you to trap flies too.
8. Plaster peeling off the wall
Peeling walls can put potential buyers off buying your house
If you can, get a peeling wall re-plastered before you list your home for sale as it can make the property look a lot more homely to a potential buyer.
9. Dog mess in the garden
Someone viewing your property for sale does not want to see or smell dog mess outside your home, so check your garden or outside space too before a visit. In fact, more than two in five homebuyers (44%) would be distinctly unimpressed.
10. Dirty underwear on the floor or drying laundry in the house
No one wants to see your ‘smalls’ airing on a clothes horse in the backroom
You’d think it goes without saying to not have clothes and dirty underwear on the floor or around the house, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to hide these items away for viewings. If you’ve missed an item of clothing before a viewing, quickly shove it in the wardrobe or under your pillow, no one’s going to be looking there. Equally, no one wants to see your ‘smalls’ airing on a clothes horse in the backroom, not only is it an insight too far, but suggests homeowners have been less than concerned about damp in the house.
11. Ugly wallpaper
Some people have an eclectic taste when it comes to wallpaper, but a bold pattern can easily get dated. Wallpaper in general is hard to remove, so can put home buyers off as it’s extra work to redecorate to their style. Make sure it is tasteful and in good condition, no one likes to see peeling wallpaper!
12. Noisy neighbours
No one loves a noisy neighbour, it might even be the reason that you are moving, but they could also be the reason that makes it hard for you to find a buyer
No one loves a noisy neighbour, it might even be the reason that you are moving, but they could also be the reason that makes it hard for you to find a buyer.
Try and find out when your neighbour is going to be out and arrange viewings around that, or simply give them a heads up that people are coming to view the house and ask them to keep the noise down.
13. Neighbours’ messy gardens
You might not even consider that the state of your neighbour’s garden could have an impact on people viewing your home, but an unattractive front garden next door can impact the kerb appeal of your home, and an unruly garden out back is a bit of an eyesore from the bedroom window.
Offering to help your neighbour with a bit of gardening could have a great impact on selling your home.
14. Creepy statues or garden gnomes
Creepy looking garden gnomes can turn people off from buying a property
Who doesn’t love a garden gnome? Well, there are some rather creepy looking ones out there, and not to mention some unusual statues in people’s homes.
It’s important to try and put things away that could distract people from seeing falling in love with your home.
They should be looking at the sizes of the rooms and the potential for their belongings and not being distracted by some of your items that catch their attention.
15. Retro carpets
An old carpet can really put off buyers and really impact the value of your home
An old carpet can really put off buyers and really impact the value of your home. They don’t cost too much to replace, especially if you can dispose of the old carpet yourself and only need to pay for the fitting of a new carpet.
You don’t need to invest in expensive new carpets, just something to give the room a refresh, especially if you have garish 70s brown ones that have a little too much wear and tear.
16. Damaged kitchen cupboards
If you have kitchen cupboard that are hanging off, get them fixed as it could put of buyers
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home, and whilst most people want to put a new kitchen in, they want to see that the current kitchen is doable until they do.
So if you have doors that are hanging off, get them fixed, or doors that have a bit of wear and tear, give them a lick of paint.
17. Cars parked on the pavement outside
Cars that are parked up on the pavement give off the vibe that parking is hard to come by and can make people concerned about where they park their car and how difficult it will be for visitors. So, if you can, move your car for the viewings.
18. On a flight path
There isn’t much you can do about this, but you can control when the viewings are to avoid a plane flying over whilst they are viewing
There isn’t much you can do about this, but you can control when the viewings are to avoid a plane flying over whilst they are viewing.
Also looking at things that can help hide the noise in the home, with curtains and blinds, plants on the windowsill, large plants/trees in the garden, etc.
19. Cluttered storage or spare room
We all have a room or storage space where we just chuck everything in it, but a messy, cluttered space can make it really hard for people to see the potential of the space. You know that you are going to have to sort through everything before you move so get productive and have a clear out before your viewings. You might even make enough room to store all the other things you need to hide away.
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