What gives you the ICK when viewing houses?

[FlowerBitLove]

Partner and I viewed some houses today and we both agreed that one house was definitely not for us because we got the ICK.

Never happened to me with a house before plenty of times with boyfriends though

Just wondered if others got it with houses and what caused it.

Bit worried about something in ours causing the ICK too now!

My mother once went to have a look at a flat on my behalf (long story) and came back saying, "That one won't do, there was a dirty bra lying on the bedroom floor." I had to laugh. Many years later, I found myself selling a house with resident children who had extensive floordrobes.

I've looked at lots of houses that weren't to my taste and some that were a bit grotty, but the only time I've found myself shuddering and thinking, "Let me get out of here," was one where the owner showed us around and was like a hen on hot peas. The poor woman was probably just anxious, but I could feel my young daughters picking up on her nerves and getting stressed. "That whole house is on edge, we can't live there," one of them said afterwards.

Cat litter trays in the kitchen
Pet hair visible on the carpets
Cluttered bathrooms with dirty mirrors

Open house viewings - we always ask the EA and if it is we don’t view.

Vendor doing the viewings - very off putting.

Wary of houses with cats - worry about flea infestations.

Cosmetics don’t bother us - often the worse they are the better as it puts a lot of others off.

Plenty of things would put me off ( scruffy neighbours, neighbours with too many cars all over the place etc) but B&M style decor - mirrored furniture, grey everything, badly upcycled furniture really gives me the ick even though it’s changeable.

We once viewed a flat in which the tenant was in the bath throughout.

Yucky toilets
bad smells
Dark rooms

Dog or cat smells🤢

Extension that doesn’t fit the character of the rest of the house, air freshener smell, shiny chrome fittings, narrow road (claustrophobic), stale or smoky air, old person mobility aids (don’t like to feel that we are taking the person’s home from them, feels sad if they are moving into a home or have died).

I’m really surprised at so many people being put off by fake grass.

It’s quite common round here for people in very high-end houses to have fake grass in part of the garden for the children’s play area.

I’m really surprised at so many people being put off by fake grass.

I like to garden and I choose plants to encourage pollination and wildlife. Fake grass is very sterile and often has a mess underneath that makes it difficult to use the space for gardening again.

We went to view a house last year which was really lovely from the pictures and ticked every box.
When we arrived we saw that the next door neighbours front garden was full off Halloween decorations. Fake grave, coffins and skeleton, cobwebs and a full sized witch mannequin...
...in July!
It was an instant no from us, we didn't want to be rude so viewed the downstairs of the house then made our excuses to leave.

Animal smells
Animal bowls left out
Litter trays left out
NDNs with rubbish/abandoned toys/white goods in garden
Cigarette smoke smell

We once viewed a house (to rent) that was currently full of students. They were all passed out in the lounge and a big handwritten sign declared "ketamine this way!!".

I know you're supposed to see through the decor to the potential blah blah blah but on this occasion I just couldn't.

Damp / mildew smells. I can’t tell you how many properties I’ve seen with this! Maybe the majority?

Pet smells.

I look at photos carefully and probably wouldn't even view a house if there was evidence of pets ...

Smoke - I just think it’s incredibly difficult to get rid of that smell

Was looking round outside at a house recently deciding whether to view. Small cul de sac of about 5 houses, cul de sac had a basketball net, football net, bike ramp (!) and one house had four bikes/ scooters outside

I’ve been there done that with my own son and it’s a nope from me

Dirt,old cobwebs, grease, grime especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
Damp/fusty smell.
Fake grass.
Nicotine stains on the paintwork.
Ashtrays.
Unemptied bins.
Piles of crap/clutter.
Patterned carpet.
Carpet in bathroom.
Artex.
Woodchip.
Tiny shower enclosure, cheap showers.
Broken tiles.

Smells can be removed, decoration changed etc.

Its all about the neighbourhood for me.I know lovely neighbours can move but I looked at how overlooked the garden was, how close the neighbours were, parking and anything obviously awful like a really messy garden and litter in gardens near the house, noise levels at different times of the day. I would never buy a house with an open plan garden set up.

Smells like onions, curry, dogs ,cigarettes or mould. All very difficult to get rid of.

I wouldn't consider buying a smoker's house ,ime you have to re plaster in some cases,decorating alone doesn't get rid of the smell🤢

Viewed a house in the same road that was an upgrade and beautifully kept from the outside. Inside it was horrific. Boxes and bags piled high in every room and a bath full of dirty nappies in bags. That stunk

I wasn't put off as it had so much potential but was gazumped at the last minute so that was that!

Our house - previous owner had 17 cats and 3 dogs, all the decorating was with odds and sods - lime green gloss ceiling for example.
We bought it anyway, on the basis it had put all the other potential buyers off and we could afford it. Cleaned up/repainted/recarpeted ok

Most things I can see beyond - horrible carpet? I factor in cost to replace/redecorating. I want the layout to work so I personally like a hallway rather than straight into a room and not having to walk through the living room to access the kitchen. That’s something I can’t change so would avoid.

The only things that would give me the ick though would be no lawn - I’ve learned that I really hate fully paved gardens or fake grass. Also, cigarette smells. So hard to get rid of.

Dog smell
Smoking smell

I know houses can be fumigated by a new owner, but I don’t want to be in the property to view it!!

Also Astro turf. Fine perhaps for a small patch, but I saw a very big garden in shiny plastic grass and it would have cost a fortune to returf.

I viewed a house once where the 4th bedroom was locked. The EA didn’t have the key and was under strict instructions that the room “couldn’t be viewed”. I just don’t know what the vendor thought people would say.

I wonder if they ever sold it. So weird. I was imaging sex den, but I’m still curious 😆