Top 5 Most Offputting Things For Prospective Property Purchasers and How To Avoid Them

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If you're selling your home, you'll need to make sure that your house is top of the properties-for-sale list for house hunters.  However, no matter how appealing the photographs and description on the real estate agents' website, it could all come to nothing if buyers are put off when they come around for a viewing.  Here are the top 5 things guaranteed to frighten away potential purchasers, together with ways of making sure that you don't fall into these traps.

1. Smelly homes Strange or unpleasant smells are very off-putting for would-be buyers.  Major culprits here are pet odours and strong cooking smells, especially if your viewers don't have animals in their household and don't eat spicy foods. Put pet bedding, food bowls and litter trays outside and give the house a good airing by leaving windows open for a couple of hours before viewings.  Try to avoid cooking anything that leaves a lingering smell, for example fish or curry, on the day of a viewing, and invest in a few scented candles or plug-ins to keep things fragrant.  
2. Unfinished DIY jobs No-one wants to move into a house that's littered with unfinished DIY projects.  Make sure that you (or your other half!) gets right up to date with repairs or upgrades, before you put your home on the market.  
3. Tatty fixtures and fittings In general, most buyers are looking for a home that they can move into, without having to replace items such as fitted wardrobes, kitchen cupboards etc.  Tired and worn fittings and fixtures can leave buyers feeling that they will need to spend money to bring the house up to date as soon as they move in. Something as simple as replacing cupboard handles can really tidy up a room, making a much more favourable impression on potential buyers.  
4. Overgrown garden Even keen gardeners don't want to take on a wilderness when they move home.  If you don't have time to do it yourself, hire a gardener or landscape firm to give your patch a makeover to impress viewers.  
5. Crazy décor schemes Although you may consider it bland, magnolia or cream is the way to go when redecorating your home ready for sale.  This presents buyers with a blank canvas that they can impress with their own identity, rather than assaulting their senses with a display of garish colours and wild décor schemes.

In conclusion

You can make your home more appealing to potential purchasers by taking heed of the top five most off-putting things encountered by house hunters.  For more advice and information on how to prepare your home for sale, have a chat with your local real estate agent or broker, like one from Carter Real Estate.

22 September 2016