Keeping your garden in check, tidying up the living room and cleaning the bathroom may seem insignificant, but doing so can help you maximize the price you achieve when selling your home, according to analysis from property purchasing specialist, House Buyer Bureau.
House Buyer Bureau looked at some of the most common homebuyer deterrents when it comes to selling your home, the percentage impact they could have on the asking price you achieve and what this equates to in pounds and pence on the current UK house price of ยฃ285,861.
Having overgrown gardens could knock off 14% from a homeโs value, thatโs a loss of a huge ยฃ40,306, more than any of the other issues covered in the study.
Perhaps we shouldnโt be surprised, as having green space is a major selling point for buyers, and its importance was underlined during the dark times of the pandemic.
In the case of the front garden itโs also likely to represent the first impression a visitor gets of a home.
Another factor is having an untidy, messy or dirty house, which affects the value by more than ยฃ11,000, or -4%. Remember, choosing a property and making an offer is a very emotional choice, so donโt get in the way of that. When we picture our dream home we donโt see it covered in dust and/or nick-nacks.
Similarly, people donโt want to spend their first few months in their new property masking the smell of a pet, so beware of showing evidence of pet, particularly damage caused by them. That alone can cut over ยฃ11,000 from a propertyโs value, or -3.9%.
Other factors
Make sure to clean up your bathroom or kitchen before people visit. Weโve all had the experience of visiting a lovely restaurant and being surprised at the poor quality of toilets and making that same mistake as a home seller could see you almost ยฃ10,000 out of pocket.
Show your property in its best light. Indeed, having a dimly lit home can affect the value by 3.1%, or nearly ยฃ9,000. Unless you have something to hide in terms of a propertyโs appearance, make sure to keep it properly illuminated.
If you like old style decor remember itโs not for everyone, and consider giving things a lick of paint before you begin viewings. Having a stylistically outdated home can also knock off nearly ยฃ9,000, or -3.1%, so itโs not worth being stubborn over.
Considering the cost of energy in the current climate itโs never been more imperative to have double glazing, which adds ยฃ8,500 or 3.00% to a homeโs value. Broken or outdated windows meanwhile give a very negative impression, and should be replaced as a priority before you look to make a sale. Failing to do so could see buyers knock you for the cost of the upgrade.
Finally, something as small as having a worn out front door can put people off, especially as itโs another case of being an important first impression. Having a new front door can actually add ยฃ4,000 to a homeโs value, or in contrast, a shabby front door can knock off -1.6%, so itโs well worth sorting as it can effectively pay for itself.
Managing Director of House Buyer Bureau, Chris Hodgkinson said, โItโs surprising how many seemingly minor features can detract from a homeโs value, like having a messy garden or failing to clean up the kitchen.
โGiven the huge sums of money involved, thereโs little excuse not to get any such issues sorted before potential buyers come to visit.
โFirst impressions and emotional decisions are huge parts of buying a house, so make sure buyers arenโt put off by the small things.
โThe current environment of rising interest rates means weโre no longer in a sellersโ market, so you need to pull out all the stops to achieve your target price when marketing homes today.โ
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