5 Things That Instantly Scare Home-Buyers Away

Are you struggling to shift your home or do you want to create maximise appeal before you put your house onto the market, whether it be through an agent or private sale?

Here’s a list of reasons that commonly make buyers’ run for the hills, wishing they had never caught eye of that hideous monstrosity that you sall a home.

Fortunately, most of issues are superficial that can be easily modified to create the change that your home might so desperately needs.

1) Front door colour

A recent survey by Co-operative Bank Mortgages discovered that the least desired front door colours are pink, orange, yellow, purple and grey.

The survey also revealed that the most appealing and welcoming colour is.. *drum roll, please* … white! No real shock there.

If you happen to be some kind of fruity arty-farty individual trying to sell a house with an obscure door colour, perhaps it’s time to conform to the social norm just this once by painting your door white.

2) Bad smells

Properties that host unpleasant odours are like the slow, overweight kid on the football team, always left behind.

If a prospective buyer walks into a musky property that smells of death, they’re unlikely to want to 1) stay around for long 2) vision themselves living in the property 3) wonder what other hideous features plague the house, planted by the homeowners.

The main problem is that ignorance is bliss. What do I mean by that? I mean that most people are immune to the smell of their own environments, so they wouldn’t have a clue whether or not they have an odour problem.

The solution? Get a neutral friend through the doors and ask for honest feedback on the presentation of the property. Let’s just hope you choose a friend with a backbone.

3) Small Kitchens

Physically creating extra space isn’t the most practical or obvious solution. But one solution is to declutter where possible, maximizing the available space; tuck those stacked utensils away neatly, put the kids’ toys away and draw in as much natural light as possible.

Think clean, think big!

4) Dirty Surfaces

Much like the bad odour scenario, buyers will wonder what other morbid features the property possesses if there’s a mess on display.

The market is currently swamped with buy-to-let investors, so you know what that means don’t you? It means that a lot of landlords want to buy properties that are ‘fit for rent‘, so little investment is required beyond the purchase of the property.

I know from personal experience that if carpets need changing and walls need completely stripping, it can often make me think twice.

Solution? Roll up your sleeves, get on your knees and start scrubbing, or better yet, call in the professionals for a thorough scrub.

5) Property Exterior

So if you’re trying to sell a property by luring people into your home by strategically placing overflowing trash cans on the driveway — stop it. If the front door or brickwork is haunted by peeling paintwork, put on the overalls and open that tin of paint. You know it makes sense!