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?

Clutter is a big thing for me. Gives the impression there is not enough storage. However, huge wardrobes that dominate rooms are also off putting. If storage is an issue, I would have a good sort out. Chuck out what you can and anything that is left can be put in the loft or into storage.
As long as everything is tidy, paint work touched up and no bad smells then I can see past most things.
Unlike pp, I actually prefer a big empty garden, means I can put my stamp on it and also don't have to worry about cleaning other peoples crap out of it.
Fresh flowers in vases around the house are always a plus as well. Not sure why but they just make the place feel nicer and more welcoming.

The owner's dog being there. I am phobic about dogs and the thought of someone's dog jumping up towards me is horrifying, even if its "just being friendly".
Piles of rubbish/unfinished projects in the garden.

I once went to view a property and the owner was reluctant to show us one room. I said if I couldn't view the room then there was no point in continuing to view the rest of his house. Soon changed his tune. (He had knocked a door through into the shared passageway between him and next door and annexed it to his house. Neighbour had done the same with the other half. Would have been a nightmare with flying freehold).

• Owners should not be there
• Make sure all mess/clutter cleared away
• Make the beds (!!!)
• Open the windows to get fresh air in beforehand, don’t try to mask smells with overpowering air fresheners. Small reed diffusers are fine though as they don’t catch in the throat so much
• If a room is ‘dark’ put the lights on before the viewing, otherwise the viewers will notice that it’s dark and that the lights need to be turned on
• Keep the lawn mowed, and weeds at bay
• Powerhose the patio
• Stain the fence all one colour, dark wood stain probably easiest to make them look cohesive
• Don’t leave stacks of post on the floor for people to walk over when they come in!
• Big outdoor bins arranged neatly
• If you’re able to, decorate everything very neutral or at least touch up scuffs on skirting etc. But make sure the paint smell has gone before viewings
• Have carpets professionally cleaned if required
• Make sure the toilet is clean and the seat is down

I would always be willing to buy a house that needs renovating. We live in a farmhouse and own a pre-tudor cottage so we're quite against plasterboarded walls and modern layouts.

I'd be looking for sound structure, solid windows and doors, good garden/land.

Turn offs would be UPVC windows and doors, bodged work, excessive damp.

I'd be prepared to rip out kitchens and bathrooms as they're personal things, decorating wouldn't put me off. Flooring usually needs changing as lots of people cover up flagstone floors and hardwood floors in old houses and I'd never want 60 year old carpet.

Modernised kitchens can leave a lot of damage-especially the ones that have been fitted by someone with no idea what they're doing.

You should focus on getting things structurally sound, filling any holes in walls, sorting damp problems or cracks, painting and freshening up the place. A tidy garden and paths are appreciated. Make sure grout is cleaned, bathrooms and kitchen should be spotless. Basically make it pristine to the eye as it is, and anyone could go in and see it as a blank canvas. When it comes time to have people look around/take photos, hide personal knick-knacks so there's no 'clutter'.

It takes a lot to put me off - I looked past everything in our current house because I could see its potential, walking distance to primary and high schools - the smoking, dirty, garden overrun, shocking decor - we now have a lovely home but its taken 10 years plus. Off road parking is a definite thing we look for. Nice quiet neighbourhood - we did drive arounds on Saturday evenings a few times. Near to amenities and easy to access motorway.

Being on a busy road. Road noise. No garden (or a tiny patch). The surrounding houses being shabby.

First impressions count. Not much you can do about the road/pavement outside but make sure the windows are clean, the gutters are clear the door is clean and painted (if appropriate). Any clutter on window sills is moved. When the potential buyers go in the first thing they see needs to be looking as good as it can. Get rid of any clutter and make sure no smells/ evidence of animals. Gardens tend to look rubbish this time of year but as tidy as possible.

Lack of parking, adjoining neighbours, any neighbours actually, small kitchens where I can’t have a table, small bedrooms.

I started off in a house similar to what you described. Move your cars so it’s not difficult to park, tidy the gardens, remove the clutter and any additional furniture that isn’t really needed and put fresh flowers out.

Your buyers know they’re buying a terrace with on street parking. This won’t be a shock to them. You need to create the illusion of space so they think they’re getting more for their money.

Owners being there is OK IF they don't pester you, can be useful if you need to know something because agents never know the answers.

However, when they insist on talking non-stop and not letting you get a word in or leave as happened to us once, it is awful. We managed to get almost to the front door but couldn't get out of the house. The agent 'couldn't do the viewing' and I suspect it was because they would be trapped there for hours.

Mess!

Also, when people have that sort of - take us as you find us - approach.
I once viewed a house with puppy-poo on the kitchen floor and a teenage son (theirs!) still lying in his bed with curtains closed.
I was so pre-occupied with the sheer awfulness that I didn't even take in the house!

It's too different things though. One are things you can effect and the other are house characteristics that just are....

I would never buy a house with low ceilings and boxy rooms. I want at least one room to bring me joy every time I walk into it - an oversized bathroom or a big bedroom with huge widows - something. Hate poky kitchens - but would look to see if could reconfigure before I dismiss something though.

Things that would put me off that are avoidable:

Smells - as others have said. Not airfresheners that you can unplug and air within a couple of days, and even mild dog smell can be cleared, but smoke and wee - those are dealbreakers.

Too many bodged jobs around the house.

Knotweed

Damp - not a little patch but a clear problem

Anything structurally dodgy

Too much cheap stuff that would have to be replaced: Cheap kitchen, cheap bathroom, cheap doors, pvc front door and windows .

I can't believe the poster upthread who would be put off by a gallery wall because of the picture hooks. Literally a day to rectify.

We are viewing some lately. I hate the owner being there...also hate pet bowls and smells out.

Back garden not dog proof or child proof.
Spot lights.
Being overlooked or low fences.

Next viewers (or stooges) arriving just as we reach the front bedroom.

The smell of plug in air fresheners. Puke.

I wouldn't go and view a house that had plug-in radiators in the photos because it means the house must get very cold / heating not working.

Clutter would put me off too, implies there isn't enough storage.

Ditto walls painted dark colours, will be a PITA to re-paint. Went to see a house once where the bedroom was painted gunmetal grey and there was a bunk bed suspended from the ceiling by a metal chain. The bedroom cupboards had the boiler and a water storage tank so it was big fat nope.

Also wouldn't be interested in a house where the main bathroom is downstairs, with no parking, or where the front door opens straight into the living room. But I can see this from the advert so wouldn't bother with viewings.

Needs to be immaculately clean and smell fresh

Declutter as much as you can, it'll make the space look much bigger. Loose unnecessary furniture if possible (think garage or car storage, during viewings, if possible) as the more floor space is visible the bigger the property appears.

Leaving aside obvious things like damp.

UPVC front doors.

Dirty floors/carpets.

Stale smells - be it cooking, pets, cigarettes.

Equally, I don't want to smell overpowering air freshener fumes, just open your bloody windows and air your living space!

Clutter.

Too much furniture or furniture that is too large for a room, massive sofas crammed into small terraced houses.

Conservatories - freezing in winter, boiling in summer, ugly.

Freestanding cookers.

Dirty basic old radiators that haven't been painted, covered or replaced.

Downstairs bathrooms.

Assuming that the basics can't be changed: direction, location, size, parking which may be complete deal breakers, beyond that;

Spotlessly clean
No outside clutter (Paul someone to trim hedges, trees and tidy garden if necessary)
Remove all clutter and extraneous furniture to maximise potential space
Light - reduce unnecessary coverings and have windows professionally cleaned inside and out - you will be amazed at the difference.
Replace environmentally friendly low watt bulbs with 60w bulbs - again difference is amazing.
No coffee table in the middle of rooms (unless they are big room).
Tidy beds - a plain white bedspread that touches the floor is massively more appealing than a crumpled patterned duvet cover and scruffy divan.

If you need to put book cases and books into storage if they reduce the floor area.

At the end if the day if the house has no parking, a poor garden, tiny kitchen, old fashioned bathroom and after ceilings presumably it is priced accordingly and buyers are limited vis a vis their budget. But all of the above maximise what you have.

I am not an estate agent but have renovated a few houses over the years and maxed potential value.

Thinking about unmade beds...

At first I laughed at the thought anyone would be put off by this (and I probably wouldn't if it was unmade beds in an otherwise tidy house when I was viewing - I'd just presume that they had had a bit of a crisis first thing).

But if it was in the photos on the website it would tell me two things.

1. They couldn't even be arsed to pull up the duvets when "trying" to make their house look its best; and
2. They had gone for such a bargain basement estate agent the agent hadn't said "for god's sake pull the duvets up".

Both these would make me think that they were lazy arses and cheapskates, and I'd factor that in - not as information about the house itself, but as indications that they'd be an absolute fucking nightmare to deal with during the sale process - paperwork half done, wouldn't pay for a decent conveyancing service, etc.

Op
Interesting Good Thread Post

Any signs of Serious Smokers Smells and Smokers Nictine stains on curtains walls in fabric of furniture

Any Nasty smells of Any kind
Good nice Smells like smell of Baking will acctract potential buyers create Cosy/homely feel

I be put off by lots of Clutter (mesa in rooms such as clothes in disray on floor.

Strong overwhelming strong smell of damp dogs smell.

Smell of Cats pee not nice.

Lots of Bin rubbish outside
Lots of Clutter outsde your house

When I view a house I don't want to see any pets at all. I always ask if there are any barking dogs next door too. I appreciate someone may move in with a barking dog but I would not want to move into that situation.

Damp
uPVC doors
Kitchen with built in oven and hob.

Everything else I can sort and have done so. The three above are jobs that I’d have to do immediately and while replacing a door is a quick job, ripping out a kitchen to get rid of built in ovens and hobs is not

Saying you would reject a house because of dogs is ridiculous.

Once you’d moved in and there was no dog you would get rid of the smell pretty quickly. I would say that most houses in the country have had a dog or cat living in them at some point, and presumably if a house doesn’t smell of dog when you view it then that doesn’t mean no dog has ever lived there.

It can be off putting because it leaves you thinking of that rather than concentrating on the house, just as clutter would.

I once viewed a house which was so cluttered you had to step over piles of clothes/toys etc to get to anywhere. There was so much of it that I couldn’t tell you anything about the house. But obviously the clutter would be gone if I had bought it, but it meant I didn’t concentrate on it.

I’ve sold three houses in my time, all of which I sold to non dog owners, and I had two dogs and two cats, a parrot and a budgie in the last one I sold. And we had several offers.

Besides which if the OP has dogs what do people expect her to do? Get rid of them? Not sell because no-one will want to buy? Which isn’t true...

Yes, you take the dogs out when people come to view, but if someone is put off purely because you have a dog they probably weren’t going to buy it anyway.