The smell of fresh bread and a spacious garden may help to lure buyers in, but pet smells, noisy neighbours and a bad phone signal are among the many things that will actually put people off. Hammonds Furniture research reveals the problems that will make properties undesirable for buyers, potentially reducing the value of your home up to £49,471!
SEE: 10 popular interiors trends that make your house harder to sell
Swimming pool/hot tub
10% of people are actually put off by homes that have pools. Love Island-style pool parties must not be their thing – or perhaps it is the pesky maintenance that's required.
Laminate flooring throughout
13% of people dislike houses that have laminate everywhere and prefer a mix of floor types throughout.
Properties with lots of laminate flooring will deter some buyers
Rude street name
14% of people will avoid homes located on roads with cheeky names – giving out your address could become a little embarrassing!
Holes in walls
21% of people would not like walls with holes in them left from paintings and picture frames. Our advice? Fill those holes before you have viewers in.
Bad phone signal
24% of people admit that they would be put off by a house with poor signal - so buyers, don’t forget to check when viewing a place!
READ: 9 genius ways to decorate your rental home on a budget
WOW: 12 insane real life home transformations seen on Instagram
Statement wallpaper is a no-no
Ugly wallpaper
24% of people would turn their noses up at bold or old wallpaper so sellers are better off painting the walls a neutral shade.
Pebble dash
25% of people would be deterred by a house which has a pebble dash exterior, possibly because it would be costly to change.
Stained/ripped carpets
27% of people would reconsider a purchase if their prospective home featured dirty or worn carpets.
Pebble dash houses are sometimes dismissed
Messy garden
28% of people would be reluctant to buy a property with a messy outdoor area.
Weak shower
28% of people would be put off by a weak shower in their house, as it's an indication of bad water pressure.
Close to a pub
32% of people wouldn't want a house in close proximity to a pub - although that means the other 68% are ready for pint and a short walk home.
Bathroom with no bath
34% of people are disappointed when a bathroom doesn't have a bath - nothing beats a good soak!
Bathrooms with no baths can be a downside
Pet smells
37% of people are put off by pet smells, but this is easily fixed with furniture and room spray.
Messy neighbours
39% of people hate messy neighbours lowing the tone of the area.
Noisy neighbours
48% of people would turn down a house due to loud neighbours.
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Japanese knotweed
48% of people see Japanese knotweed as a reason to disregard a property, as the pesky weed is hard to get rid of.
Old electrics are a turn off for house buyers
Old electrics/wiring
50% of people think that old electrics are a reason to decline a house because it is such a big project to redo.
Signs of pest infestation
57% of people would look elsewhere if they found out a property had a pest problem - eek!
Mould/damp
62% of people are put off by signs of damp - and this is the biggest problem which will deter potential buyers.
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