What do you always notice when viewing a house?

[Namechange98457]

Just that really, looking to put my up on the market soon and trying to get it ship shape to make it as appealing as possible.

Thanks

The smell

It hits you as you walk through the door:

Dogs
Air freshners that are really strong
Cigarette smoke

All make me instantly think what work will need to be done to remove that smell straight away

It's amazing how many people don't seem to open up their windows and let fresh air in!!

Notice or look for?
I would notice if it had a smell, was dusty or it needed some TLC.

i would look for clean, tidy and well looked after rooms. I like clean lines, bigger windows, nice outlook, plenty of off road parking, some trees/ garden plants.

Oh yes @LadyMargaretPoledancer , if it smelled of smoke, I would be put off instantly as it’s hard to remove once ingrained.

As a visitor I would say smell too, but looking at prospective houses, I look at layout and shape and size of rooms.
Smelly houses can be aired and cleaned!

These days you pretty much know what to expect from the photos and floor plan plus street view etc. So I notice more how a house smells and how it feels.

Yes but they may also indicate underlying issues that may need additional money to fix.

So never ignore how a house smells either or it can end up being a costly mistake.

If there is chipped paintwork, cracks in walls, scruffy aspects it makes me think that if they couldn’t be bothered fixing those to market the house, then what bigger things have they not maintained?

Two years ago we sold our house on the first day of viewings. The house smelt amazing, had been cleaned like crazy, I had poly filled any hairline cracks and painted over any scuffs or chips in paintwork. All clutter was away.

I notice views from the windows and the proximity of main roads.
Also damp patches and evidence of hasty painting of walls, especially chimney breasts.
Also storage, or the lack of it.

Of the things that could potentially be fixed…

Is your garden tidy?
Are your neighbours’ gardens tidy?
Is the street dirty/ does it need a litter pick?
Is it clean (sounds obvious but I’ve seen some shockers…)

Smell.

Odd jobs that I couldn't do but would cost too much versus the job, ie replacing skirting boards or half a coving. I can decorate but I can't do those two.

Doors that don't shut properly, whether it's dropped hinges or broken handle.
Window openings that are too small to fit through in event of fire.

I can garden so don't mind it too messy and love trees but if neighbours trees are right on boundary then it's a no, I don't want my sun blocked in ten years time. However make sure the lawn is cut.

Freshly painted, esp near chimneys, are a red flag.

Edit - I also look where/how many plug sockets there are. Dont hide them.

The state of the skirting boards, don't ask me why but I always look 😂

Smell and any damp patches and wether it feels cold -

Curb appeal. I've been really put off by weeds in the drive or a dirty front door which is ridiculous and easily fixed.

The house looking like you're making do until you move - not updating carpet or redecorating or replacing that broken blind.

PH the whole I've trained myself to look at what is important (location, build issues, storage, layout) but I still find myself reacting to little things.

Good luck with it, so very stressful although I do think it's still a sellers market in most areas.

Things that immediately put me off a house (beside obvious things like illegal wiring, damp, fungus and asbestos):

Beams
Low ceilings
Open plan layout
Terrible layout in general
Darkness / not enough sunlight coming through the entire house
Bad smells
Exposed pipes
Houses that require extensive renovation
Neighbouring unkempt gardens
Houses that back up to things and places I don't want to live near (schools, cemetaries, party venues, restaurants, train tracks, busy roads, motorways, etc.)
Bathrooms and guest toilets with no window. In fact, every room should have a window
No utility room - I refuse to do laundry in the kitchen or from a converted wardrobe
White houses - they get dirty and look worn down quickly
Stairs that aren't in the hallway
Basements - don't want flooding and damp issues on my hands. Nor am I a mole that wants to live underground

The people. I'm a big picture type person.

Smell
Chipped paintwork
Cleanliness
Layout
Natural light

boxes on top of wardrobes-it says there’s not enough storage in the house.

I don’t like too many family photos- gives too much of a sense of the people who’ve been living there for years. I like to b able to imagine myself in a property.

Dirty windows, planters with dead flowers etc says neglect.

smell. I don’t like air freshener - prefer fresh air and maybe a hint of a scented candle

signs of dodgy neighbours- eg - trash in their front garden

I like to see a place that is light and fresh and clean 🧽

good luck 🤞

How much stuff is on kitchen worktops- it indicates insufficient cupboards. I also notice where stuff is eg if shoes in hallway then is there somewhere I could store them, if lots of bottles in bathroom then is there somewhere to put another cabinet.

needs to be clean
Need to be able to see where the bins are

If it's clean and if it is smelly. I have turned down nice houses because they are fithy and smelly . I find it really off putting. decor and junk does not put me off I can see through that.

@Arancia agree with lots of these although sadly I don’t have a utility - when we lived in Denmark I had one 15 ft square ( but in the basement) it had full washing lines too - the works!! I also had a 17ft square dry ‘storeage room’ in basement . The storage was incredible -

Fake scent - what is it covering?
Shoddy paint work. What has been hurriedly painted over?
Doors - to both cupboards and rooms - that are faulty in some way. Shows a lack of basic maintenance.
Those damp corners you've learned to ignore.
The state of your roof, gutters, pointing and so on.

Smell/s
layout
light
storage or potential
feel/s
wiring
environment

Smell. Neighbours. Quality of light. State of garden.

Then, signs of damp, cleanness, storage.

What's going on with neighbours? State of garden. Parking. Large trees close to property.