Biggest Property Viewing Turn-Offs

Are you thinking about selling your home and moving on to pastures new? If you want a relatively quick sale, you’ll need to be mindful of creating the right impression with prospective buyers.

Property viewings are an essential part of the buying and selling experience. Buyers need to ensure available homes are sound investments and discover whether they have a good feeling for the neighbourhood.

On the flip side, it’s the sellers’ responsibility to ensure their properties are in good condition both internally and externally to maximise their potential sale price. Attracting buyers is also particularly important for sellers that have already found a new home they wish to buy and are looking for the missing link in their chain.

With that in mind, if you want to maximise the number of property viewings from the moment your home goes on the market, consider the following property viewing turn-offs that can affect its kerb appeal:

Signs of damp

A survey of homebuyers by GoCompare found that almost three-quarters (70%) of buyers found the sight of rising or penetrating damp an instant turn-off during a property viewing. Damp patches on walls and floors are often a red flag for buyers, suggesting that there is damage to a property’s damp proof course or its drainage or guttering system. It is however possible for prospective buyers to pay for damp surveys to ascertain the severity of the damage if they are still keen on the property as a whole.

Cracks and stained surfaces

Cracked, marked and stained walls, floors and carpets are equally a major property viewing turn-off, according to a survey of 1,266 buyers by Sell House Fast. More than three-quarters (76%) saw cracks, marks and stains as a warning sign for possible issues with subsidence, as well as a general lack of care and attention by the current homeowner.

Potential safety issues

Dataloft’s figures, compiled on behalf of Sell House Fast, also revealed that visible safety issues were a major no-no for buyers during property viewings. Exposed wires and damaged flooring force two-thirds (66%) of viewers to leave without even considering making an offer.

Bad smells

Smells and fragrances are all part of creating an idyllic first impression with potential buyers. Well over half (56%) of those surveyed by GoCompare said that foul odours – perhaps caused by cigarette smoke or pets – are an instant turn-off when setting foot through the front door. Consider fitting plug-in air fresheners well in advance of property viewings to rid rooms of lingering smells that some viewers simply cannot otherwise see past.

Inadequate lighting

Checking the quality of light in each room is listed at the top of the Which? house-viewing checklist for buyers. Not only should you check that the light switches work in every room, it’s important to get a feel for the levels of natural light in bedrooms and social spaces. Daylight can help make rooms feel bigger and more inviting. If several rooms within a property require constant artificial light to be turned on, even in the summer months, this can be a real turn-off for viewers (pardon the pun!)

Unfinished projects

Well over half (54%) of all homebuyers surveyed by GoCompare also said that unfinished internal and external projects were off-putting when it came to buying a house. House viewings in makeshift building sites are far from appealing – and nor is the thought of buying one.

Bad design taste

According to The Telegraph, perceived “bad” design taste can be an instant visual turn-off for property viewers. Garish décor can make it hard for potential buyers to visualise how they would live there. The same report states that offensive décor has been known to knock off as much as five or ten per cent off the value of a property.

Slap-dash DIY

Despite their best intentions, some homeowners simply lack the ability to achieve clean, precise finishes with their DIY. Whether it’s wonky curtain rails, ill-fitting skirting boards or poorly-hung doors, slap-dash DIY gives off the feeling that the property isn’t cared for. It’s why 43% of GoCompare’s survey respondents cited poor DIY as a major property viewing turn-off.

Damaged or worn kitchens

Last but by no means least, the condition of a property’s kitchen also matters greatly to home viewers. Kitchens are the heartbeat of a family home for many buyers, so dated, damaged or heavily worn out kitchen cabinets or worktops are another major no-no. Some sellers will even go to the lengths of replacing their kitchen, fitting a low-budget, neutral replacement to improve its sale appeal.

Is your home ready for the open market?

If you’ve remedied any potential property viewing turn-offs in your home and you’re ready to place it up for sale, be sure to sell your property with haart.

Our unique ‘FLINK’ technology matches your home’s best features with the aspects prospective buyers are looking for, ensuring better quality property viewings in the process. Sell your home smarter, faster and for more with haart!