Asking what puts you off when viewing a house to buy?

[DarkGreen]

We have had our house valued but we are just getting the house ready to sell. Touching it up bits and tidying up.

For context its a 2 bed terraced house on a country lane with no driveway but space on the Road to park outside the house. It is an old house.

What areas and things should we focus on? What would you look for and what would put you off?

Wrong location or wrong price. Anything else can be fixed.

Fuck me it’s a good job I don’t need to sell my house - it’s unsaleable.

As for -

Owners who don't know when things were done in the house
Eh? I moved here 13 years ago so I have no clue about what happened prior to that.

(I have bought and sold 5 properties in various levels of ‘in need of refurb’)

Some people do this as a hobby and enjoy doing it. We didn't and don't. It is easy when you have the knowledge though. Our last house was a doer upper. We were new to the area and had to resort to Yellow Pages to find tradesmen (the purchase pre-dated broadband and social media). We had the funds, but not the knowledge, and most of the jobs required people who were quaified - electricians, plumbers or people with skills we didn't have - plasterers, bathroom fitters.

It was not an enjoyable experience, and not one I want to go through again.

@DarkGreen

The garden is south facing and not overlooked but it is messy needs weeding and we haven't done any fancy patio its just a bit of patio as you walk out then grass to the end. Would this put you off?

No. As long as it’s possible to walk out there.

But I will say, when we next move it will have to be ready to move in to, so yes for us it will need to be totally modern and very well presented. Clean on viewing, modern fixtures and fittings, any furniture on viewing modern and clean as well as it helps to visualise even though we wouldn’t be buying the furniture too. For us an immaculate garden isn’t a priority, but certainly a usable one with a young child. So clearing weeds, making it ‘pleasant’ enough to sit out in briefly would
Probably help.
Buying a “do-up-er” house was fine for us this time as we were a childless young couple, and fortunately we could stay with family whilst we used our savings to hire tradesmen to do the work. Next time we won’t be in the same position at all and plus, we don’t want to. Like someone previous has mentioned simply needing new carpets can be a faf if it means you can’t move in straight away on purchase but have no other options other than to do so. It makes it hard to get settled. But if you’re looking for a buy- do up- sell and don’t intend to live in it ever then I’d imagine your list of requirements might not be as long..!

Dirty toilet
Old stained bathroom
Clutter so you can't see vision
Smells
Dark, closed blinds

We moved a couple of years ago. We saw a lot of houses that looked like they'd been done up at minimum cost to look saleable, but would need re-doing in the next year or two. Things like badly done paintwork, kitchen unit doors coated with sticky back plastic, wonky wallpaper, painted bathroom tiles. All very off-putting.

The other thing was lots of plastic: fake grass, plastic wood-effect panelling on the house, plastic fencing. I just think all that looks horrible and is hard and/or expensive to remove, so I wouldn't even view a house if it had those things.

We weren't put off by work needed, as as long as a house was priced to take account of that. But we ended up with pretty much what we were looking for - somewhere we could move into straight away, that worked with our furniture and nothing major needed doing for a few years. So all very neutral, white kitchen and bathroom, plain carpets, etc.

Weed the garden, or dig it over to hide the weeds.

Is your house near the station, near the school, in the catchment for nice schools, near a shop, near a hospital, near the GP surgery, near a pub, near a bus stop, near a shop, near nice country walks -any of these let the new owners know.

Artificial grass. 100% no.

Bad smells, dirty, untidy, overgrown garden full of dog poop

@DameEdnasNeighbourhoodWatch

I am shocked at some of these replies !! The two houses we have bought and massively profitted on have had loads of issues - can nobody see past a bit of worn out carpet when viewing a home that ticks all the other boxes ? Also, as for pot plants having to be taken to the tip - unless there's a back story of mobility issues/no car - what's the big deal ? Astounded that someone would be all away from a house purchase based on a tiny issue like that !! To me, if the house is the right price and location, with off road parking, I can overlook almost anything. Wrong price or location however, nothing is going to sort that.

I don’t understand your comment. It would appear that op is trying to maximise her profit, not sell it to someone, who can see past the clutter/ frayed carpets and buy at the lowest possible price so they can make a profit.

Smokers
Kitchen Island (chavvy)
Sex Pond (see above)
Staircase without bannisters ( I am dyspraxic and would kill myself)
Staircase without risers
No storage
Weird looking neighbours
Nearby houses looking uncared for/toys in front gardens/Cortinas in front gardens etc
Pond (toddlers can't visit unsupervised)
Only bathroom downstairs
Upside down house
Garden with crazy gradient
No Gas Central Heating - absolute dealbreaker

I've just done my daily rightmove trawl (we're trying to move) and it made me want to come back to this thread with things you might want to change on the description rather than the house itself.

• Dimensions that are wishful thinking. If you/your agent says it's the room is 12'6 wide, we're not stupid: if it's only 12'6 into the tiny alcove and the rest is about 9 foot, that's cheeky. Still worse if you claim it's 12'6 but it's simply a lie.

• vague stuff about the garden. I've seen houses in the same price point where 'lovely extensive gardens' means anything from 'has space for a pony behind the beautiful mature planting' to 'a strip of grass along the back'. You don't have to measure but a decent photo is really helpful.

• Pictures where all the lights are on in broad daylight. It just makes me assume it's a very dark house and I don't bother viewing unless it's otherwise sensational.

The first two make me wonder what else is being lied about.

@BlueSussex dare I ask what a 'sex pond' is?

Oh, and should add - pictures with curtains/blinds drawn make me wonder what it is outside the window that you want to hide.

@Mrsmummy90

Sorry - it's MN speak for hot tub

The things you can't change - eg location, dark house if not mitigatable, no parking or ability to create parking. Poor building maintenance leading to follow-on problems eg broken gutter creating damp issues. Premium pricing when the house doesn't warrant it.

@maxelly - brilliant!!!

Lol, it's got waterfall taps! Everyone I know who's had those has regretted it. We live in a very hard water area, and it's practically a full time job cleaning limescale off the inside of the spouts.One friend resorted to using cotton buds and white vinegar on them before every viewing when she was trying to sell.That bathroom's a bit weird, because they've got a vintage style bath with a very modern basin and it kind of doesn't work imo. I actually like those baths from an aesthetic point of view, but I'd never have one because I know I'd hate cleaning the bit where it meets the wall at floor level

Never understand posts like you and the other posters slagging it off, it seems a perfectly clean, modern and functional bathroom to me. I’ve seen way worse. I do wonder if it’s envy.

On a seperate note, I have waterfall taps and no issue at all with them and live in a very hard water area. 😂

Just wondering if anyone minds big hamster cages/big guinea pig cages. I wonder if in future I sell, its worth sending them to boarding during viewings?

Pretence that a tiny boxroom is a standard single bedroom, or that a living room is a bedroom.
Oh yes, this is totally infuriating

Pictures where all the lights are on in broad daylight. It just makes me assume it's a very dark house and I don't bother viewing unless it's otherwise sensational

Every estate agent does this for the photos, especially at this time of year.

No, they really don't.

I don't mean the overhead light, I mean all the lights -like when you get a living room and there's the main light and four lamps. Yes, it looks bright, but not in a good way.

Obviously, a picture taken on what's plainly a wintery dull day is fine with one main light on.

@onlychildandhamster

Just wondering if anyone minds big hamster cages/big guinea pig cages. I wonder if in future I sell, its worth sending them to boarding during viewings?

I mean based on this thread, yes, loads of people mind, how can you ever expect to sell your house you fool, no-one could possibly bear to live in a house where a rodent had ever been etc etc . I think someone even specifically mentioned rabbit hutches earlier in the thread.

IMO though I wouldn't bother, too much expense/hassle for me and although I'm cold and unemotional about houses I am VERY emotional about my pets so I wouldn't risk upsetting them just to sell my house. I have a lot of pets and have always managed to sell my houses with their beds, hutches etc in situ (I even once sold a house when I had a pair of territorial parrots who would screech furiously at any stranger that entered 'their' room, I covered their cage before viewers came in and warned them about any strange noises that might emit! I also at the same time had a grumpy cat who swiped at and drew blood from a nice lady who went to 'pet the nice kitty' before I could stop her on a viewing, I am sure your nice quiet guineas/hammies will be fine by comparison

Do make sure you clean their cages and change the bedding and air their room very very thoroughly before viewings, smell has been discussed extensively on the thread and while no permanent harm could really be done to a house by having a small caged animal in it the wee smell can be detectable although we probably go 'nose blind' to it when we live there and I'm sure it would be off-putting to plenty of people...

Bad DIY & bad finishes to things like paint, grouting etc.

Especially when they advertise it as "the current owner has spent considerable time and money renovating..."

Makes me