Would these things put you off from viewing/buying a house?

[howdyetti]

In the process of selling our home and have an estate agent coming over to take photos tomorrow. There are a couple of things that DH and I disagree on, so your opinions would be much appreciated!

Firstly, we have a miniature dachshund (sausage dog) and have read that we should remove any traces of having a pet for photos/viewings such as dog bowls etc, which is no problem. The house itself is kept spotlessly clean so I don’t believe it shows that we have a dog at all. However, we do have a number of (tasteful!) dachshund related things around the house such as a framed piece of artwork from John Lewis, Emily Bond sausage dog bedding on two of the beds, a door mat, coasters etc. DH thinks that leaving these things around will put people off when it comes to viewing the house as it would look like we are crazy dog people with a potentially dog smelling home! The house is painted white throughout and all neutral furnishings, very minimalistic. I really don’t think it necessary to remove these things?

Secondly, though our house is only 15 yrs old it was rented before we bought it 2yrs ago and was in need of a lot of TLC. We had to strip everything out and redecorate. It’s a large 5 bed over 3 floors and 3 of the bedrooms aren’t used. Whilst they’ve been decorated, furnished and have had blinds fitted, we never got around to having light fittings or a light shade in those spare bedrooms. DH thinks that having the bare light cable hanging down will look off-putting in our Rightmove photos. At the moment we are saving every penny towards our next home and this seems like an (albeit small) unnecessary expenditure when we have already spent so much on the home. AIBU to think that surely these little things won’t put prospective buyers off, or am I the one who has it wrong?!

You can buy plain shite light shades for about two quid in pound type shops, I have done so before. Dangly light cables does look bad. The dog stuff is fine, though is there such a thing as tasteful sausage dog bedding? 😂

I would put trinkets away for the photos but not necessarily go to the trouble for each viewing. I think it’s more attractive in photos if any unnecessary clutter is moved out of the way anyway whether dog related or not. Yes to cheap light shades and what’s on the other side of the bedding? Is it plain, maybe it can be turned over?

Heres the bedding, I don’t think it’s too bad?! Though maybe I’m bias

www.emilybond.co.uk/store/ben-linen/

DH thinks that having the bare light cable hanging down will look off-putting in our Rightmove photos.

DH is right. No light fittings says "we don't give a shit about our house" and would make it appear unloved and un-looked after. Even if that's not the case.

fancy light fittings aren't necessary. Charity shops sell lightshades. Or cheap paper ones from B&Q.

Yes, That is much nicer than the mind conjures up when you hear ‘sausage dog bedding’ 😂 i’d keep that on.

You can buy plain shite light shades for about two quid

I think shite light shades would put me off. 😂

Do some cheap light fittings and shades.

Don't worry about the dog stuff. If your house smells of dog then it'll be an idea to address that but be honest in case people have allergies.
We visited houses a few weeks back and one of them didn't even clean the dog poo out the garden. Now that put me off! It very nearly got stepped in and nobody said a word to warn us beforehand.

I think the bedding is fine. Would definitely get shades for the lights though.

Bedding is fine as are dog beds for me. I would definitely put up light shades - dangly bulbs look awful with no shades.

Good Luck

As a fellow sausage dog owner I wouldn’t be put off by the decor

Definitely fit neutral light fittings.
If you don't you are creating an unnecessary negative.

Neutral bedding too.

Definitely ask friends about the smell.
Dog owners are largely oblivious to the smell.
Again why cause an unnecessary negative.

It is astonishing how many people cannot see beyond awful decor and an old smell.
If you are selling a finished house and pricing it a accordingly, then finish the small things.

If the house has been renovated don't put people off with little unfinished niggles.

In fact ask a good friend to walk around with a critical eye.

Sorting these things out can cost a couple of hundred which can translate into thousands.

Same with your garden. Make sure it looks tidy and pretty. Filling half a dozen large plastic pots what have been painted a cheerful colour and filled with inexpensive plants and flowers can transform a garden.

If the viewers don't see (or more importantly smell) a dog in the house, it shouldn't be a problem. We have a lot of cat stuff around (placemats, mugs, pictures etc.) but we have no cats at the moment (more's the pity).

Definitely sort out the lightshades. You can always take them with you as a stopgap for the lights in your new house.

You could put up some lampshades which you like and take them to your next house, making sure that you mention this on the 'fixtures and fittings' list which you will have to fill in as well as the rest of the maddening paperwork.

When you said you didn't want to buy even cheap lamp shades I imagined you having cheap bedding, that bedding is lovely.

I'd remove a few doggy items and make very sure your house smells fresh, you do get nose blind to your own dog. People need to be able to imagine themselves in your space. Good luck.

Just fit a couple of pendant fittings they are not very expensive. Then paper globe lightshades are fine and again cheap as chips.

The doggy stuff - I would just play it down, pictures - one or two fine, mugs, ornaments etc just remove them - easy to do.

Bedding - do you have a second set you can use or maybe a throw or other cushions that can mask it? Alternatively just buy some plain pillow cases or swap with plain ones and use a throw or blanket, borrow them if you have to.

I would say do this for the photos but don't worry for viewings

The dog stuff wouldn't, especially as the house is clean. The lack of light fittings might slightly put me off - could you get some cheap ones?

Also before an EA comes, photograph the house yourself and again look at it with a critical eye. Absolutely no point looking at the photos when they are up on a selling site things seeing things that would have been fixed.

Last tip. Remember kerb appeal. Make sure the front of your house looks the best it can.
Garden tidy.
No chipped paint.
Windows sparkling etc.
People will drive by before making an appointment to see if it's worth their time.

Good luck.

Do the light fittings for sure. Pictures and stuff probably okay

B&M and Wilkos do very cheap light shades. Personally the possibility of you having a sausage dog would make me more likely to view because, even if I didn't like the house, I'd get to meet your dog.

Dog stuff is fine.

Definitely get light fittings. Cheap and neutral ones are fine though.

Having different bedding so they are not both 'doggy' helps to give the rooms separate identities, otherwise buyers may think they are the same room, depending on how similar they are in other respects. Buyers DO NOT look closely at the text, they rely heavily on pictures, in my experience. The number of people who viewed our townhouse last year and then went, 'No, we need to put a bedroom downstairs' when they had a living/dining room, a kitchen and downstairs loo on the floor plan was ridiculous. Is your elderly grandad going to sleep on the kitchen table then?! It had 4/5 bedrooms but all on middle or top floors.

100% agree with your DH on both points. All the dog-themed stuff does send the message that you are "dog people" and give the impression, however subliminal, that the house might potentially be smelly and have traces of dog hair everywhere.

With regards to the light fittings it just gives a better overall impression and perhaps sends the message that the house has been well looked after in general.

I think it’s stupid to be put off a house by someone’s bedding (I’ve got far less tasteful dachshund bedding 🤣). You are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds and you haven’t got the vision to see past something that they will take with them? It drives me mad on property programmes when people dismiss a house based on a bloody sofa.

I’ve got dogs (sausage dogs actually) and when I come to sell my house, I’m not going to apologise for the fact my dogs and my family lived our lives in it. Yes it probably smells of dog but people cannot live in sterile bubbles. If someone wants a pristine house, they need to buy a new build, and put up with the associated problems and the huge financial premium.

I would get some cheap light shades, but the rest is fine.
I have lots of dog mugs, storage jars , door stops, but sadly no dog! I love the bedding, may have to go shopping 🐶

I’d probably only view the house in the condition I could meet the dog

Def get some cheap lamp shades. You could always take them with you as a temporary measure in your new house if there isn’t any or they are hideous