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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What puts you off buying a house?

425 replies

notwhyicamehere · 12/06/2021 17:51

Other than structural things or location- which can't be changed, what are the seemingly little things that would put you off buying a house?
For me, seeing tumble dryer or vacuum in a random room screams not enough space/ storage. As well as loads of bathroom clutter.

AIBU to dismiss houses based on things like this?

Looking to sell soon so looking to avoid those mistakes!

OP posts:
Lollypop4 · 12/06/2021 20:02

Also smoking- Next doors house is awful, the stench is vile..., I pity anyone who will buy it and have to deal getting rid of the smell

Rubyrecka · 12/06/2021 20:04

@IsThePopeCatholic

Plastic / upvc windows Divan beds Pelmets on windows
Would u not buy your own bed?!
Wombats12 · 12/06/2021 20:04

No wonder hedgehogs are endangered...i will be cutting my hedges post-bird nesting season and I have been mowing but completely immaculate is so bad for nature.

Justanticipating · 12/06/2021 20:08

I once went for a viewing where the owners daughter was in bed with her bf, curtains closed, lights were all off and he just laughed it off cos they'd been to a rave the night before. It was like, 12pm.
Dodgy previous owners would be one for me, god knows what you'll find.

MirandaMarple · 12/06/2021 20:08

@IsThePopeCatholic

Plastic / upvc windows Divan beds Pelmets on windows
You'd be put off buying a house because the seller has a divan bed?
DonGray · 12/06/2021 20:08

Upvc windows
Freestanding baths
Massive bathrooms / dressing rooms that could have been a useful bedroom

DontDrinkDontSmokeWhatDoIDo · 12/06/2021 20:08

@HotChocolateLover

Not enough plug sockets! We’re just about to move into our second house and it was a mistake we made in our current house. When we were looking now, if the property didn’t have a tonne of sockets then it was out of the running!

This wouldn't worry me as it's easy to put more sockets in.

Not so easy to find somewhere to put the washing machine!

Tubbyinthehottub · 12/06/2021 20:09

I really hate fitted wardrobes, especially if they have those little cupboards over the top of the bed. It makes me feel all peculiar, it's so permanent and weird. I know you can rip it out and if it was the right house I wouldn't discount it because of fitted wardrobes but it does put me off. I scroll right past those on Rightmove.

Also hate divan beds and sofas that go right to the floor with no gap. They make me feel uneasy but they'd be going so that's fine for house hunting.

I don't like it when the downstairs loo is off the utility or something.

Rubyrecka · 12/06/2021 20:09

Shared drive / single car drive
Sellers not bothering to tidy up before a viewing
Sellers who haven't done anything new to the house since they moved in
Pictures being better online than in real life is a bit of a bug bear of mine
Neighbouring houses looking over the back garden
White goods on display
Smell of dog / fag etc

MirandaMarple · 12/06/2021 20:10

If it was all grey and white. As in grey carpets everywhere. Huge expense to replace as none of my furniture etc would go with grey/white/clean lines.

TheSunShinesBright · 12/06/2021 20:12

Small things:
A house with dog/cat/smoke smell.
Fitted kitchen appliances
Fitted wardrobes
GREY everywhere
Shiny kitchen cabinets

Big things:
Old central heating system
Old windows whether they are wood or UPVC

Rubyrecka · 12/06/2021 20:13

@BackforGood

When flicking through Rightmove / Zoopla, I am always wary of a house that doesn't have a photo of itself as the lead photo. Then I hate it when there is no floorplan I roll my eyes at photos of vases of flowers or a decoration on the wall, but no photo of the bathroom Hmm

I don't like it when a house has been done up to the nines and then expecting to recoup that from me as someone else's tastes are unlikely to match mine. Equally when someone has laid cream or a pale beige carpet throughout.
I want to move in to a house, and be able to live in it, not wander round taking photos for Instagram.

Yes I agree with this. Especially the picture on right move always sends of red flags
LightasaBreeze · 12/06/2021 20:13

Anything that is not detached
Paved over front and back gardens
Fitted wardrobes
En-suites
Shiny kitchens with the oven surrounded by cupboards with no workspace next to it

Nothappyland · 12/06/2021 20:13

What is wrong with UPVC windows?! What are they meant to be made of? Genuinely confused, only windows I see are UPVC except my next door neighbours, which are wooden and completely rotting and shit. I’m very glad the ones who we bought our house off replaced them prior to us buying it!

Roselilly36 · 12/06/2021 20:13

Small gardens
Overlooked gardens
No parking
Untidy, cluttered rooms
Smells smoke/pets

TheSunShinesBright · 12/06/2021 20:13

Shared entrance to driveway (as seen on new build estates)

namechange6754 · 12/06/2021 20:14

Converted garages. They make horrible spaces, change the look of the house unfavourably and we like to have a garage. My biggest bugbear.

ChinstrapBobblehat · 12/06/2021 20:14

@IsThePopeCatholic

Plastic / upvc windows Divan beds Pelmets on windows
Why would someone else’s beds and window dressings put you off buying a house? You’re not buying their furniture and it’s a bit odd not to be able to imagine what a window would look like without the pelmet on!
SchrodingersImmigrant · 12/06/2021 20:17

@Nothappyland

What is wrong with UPVC windows?! What are they meant to be made of? Genuinely confused, only windows I see are UPVC except my next door neighbours, which are wooden and completely rotting and shit. I’m very glad the ones who we bought our house off replaced them prior to us buying it!
I am ignoring upvc bit on all threads. It's exactly same here. Only handful of houses with food and that's the ooooold one. I had aluminium in apartments and wouldn't touch it with barge pole
Parker231 · 12/06/2021 20:17

Fake grass
Fitted wardrobes
Paved front garden
Electric feature fireplace
No space for washing machine and tumble dryer
Grey everything
staircases in living room
Patterned bathroom tiles
Tiny on suites with box showers
Bedrooms too small for a bed and furniture
Bedroom listed as a double but really a single

autumngold6 · 12/06/2021 20:18

On a main road, poor schools, few amenities, rundown neighbourhood; no trees, nice walks nearby; high crime rate, noisy area
No off street parking, no garage, garage not attached to house, low fences in the back garden, no side access to garden, garden on a slope, very small/no back garden, no front garden, terrace/semi/flat, cheap looking uPVC windows and doors, no entrance hall, insufficient storage, painted wood chip walls, bold paint/wallpaper, patterned/non neutral carpets upstairs, carpeted downstairs, warm air central heating, open plan living, no downstairs toilet, downstairs toilet near front door/reception room, kitchen island, no pantry, boiler in a living area/bedroom, cheap conservatory (small, irregular shape, non-glass roof, with blinds), coloured bathroom suites, no separate shower, tiny box room bedrooms, bathroom/toilet with no windows, dark rooms with small windows, very overlooked properties, nowhere to hide bins, large trees close to house, flat roofs, no loft space, spiral staircase, open tread stairs, stairs leading off a room, no utility room, no plants in front garden, tarmac drive, leasehold, near railway line, in area that floods

SarahAndQuack · 12/06/2021 20:18

Definitely agree with whoever said an expensive flash kitchen that I don't like - I'd feel I had to live with it!

Ensuites in all (or any, really) rooms. Grim.

Kitchen islands (yes, I know you can take them out, but it'd detract).

Decking.

Gravel over the front 'garden'.

In terms of rightmove stuff, I hate it when people have a million close-up photos of their fancy furniture/plants. I'm not buying your furniture; I don't care. And it makes me think they'll be optimistic on price because they think it is so 'tasteful'.

ProbablyProbing · 12/06/2021 20:18

Some of these responses are completely insane. You wouldn't buy a house where the current owners have duvan beds?! They won't even be there when you move in! No wonder flippers make such an extortionate amount of money in this country given that people won't purchase properties where they'd have to change things that would take a couple of hours and £100 to change.

BetterThanKleenex · 12/06/2021 20:19

When we bought this house it had new bathrooms (orange tiles) and kitchen (knotty pine HELL) and brand new green carpet throughout because the neighbours wanted to do it up to sell it. We ripped it out weeks after moving in-it's a waste. Either do it up with a neutral pallette or just clean it up and rip up manky old carpet and lino. I'd rather have bare floorboards until I change them than bogey green carpet.

SarahAndQuack · 12/06/2021 20:20

@ProbablyProbing

Some of these responses are completely insane. You wouldn't buy a house where the current owners have duvan beds?! They won't even be there when you move in! No wonder flippers make such an extortionate amount of money in this country given that people won't purchase properties where they'd have to change things that would take a couple of hours and £100 to change.
I don't get this? Confused

The thread title asks what puts you off. Not whether you'd buy the house or not!

People are just being honest about knee-jerk responses.