House-proud Britons often ignore the lesser details when putting their property for sale. Sometimes these are the features that deter buyers, however.
House hunters are rightfully picky when choosing where to invest their hard-earned cash, so it's down to the seller to ensure their house stands out for the right reasons.
Terry Fisher, from WeBuyAnyHome, agrees that no one wants to buy a house that's falling apart. He warns that even the best properties have aspects that can affect how much they’ll fetch, however.
A property with a north-facing garden, artificial grass, no off-road parking and no bath, could see £45,000 knocked off its value, according to Fisher.
He explained: “While everyone has their tastes and opinions, the best approach is to imagine a very ‘normal’ family living in your house and working out what they would and wouldn’t want.
Property value hinges on several different factors
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“That means it’s out with any funky decor, but also some less obvious and even surprising factors that can put potential buyers off handing over their cash.
North Facing garden - £5,000
"As a sun trap, it is no surprise that north-facing gardens can be an automatic dealbreaker for many homebuyers.“
"Outdoor spaces have become much more desirable in recent years and enjoying as much sunshine as possible is important for many buyers,” said Terry.
“If you have a lovely garden that faces north you won’t enjoy the full benefits and that is going to hit you in the pocket - up the tune of £5,000.”
No off-road parking - £20,000
As roads become increasingly busy, having somewhere to park has become a strong point for properties on the market.
“The growing popularity of electric vehicles, (EVs) is important," noted Terry. "If you have a private driveway you can fit a charger and top up the battery without any issues.
“But if you have to park on the road, you can’t string wires across the pavement so this can put off buyers and therefore lower the property value.”
Grass - £15,000
Keeping your lawn in good nick requires a lot of time and effort, but the hard work could pay off when the time comes to sell your home.
According to sold.co.uk, having a well-maintained lawn can add up to 20 per cent value to a house, with research showing that homebuyers would pay more for properties with healthy grass.
“Maintaining a luscious lawn takes time and effort, so many people have opted to have artificial alternatives laid,” said Terry.
“But in recent years this has become a big turn-off when it comes to dipping into the housing market. There is an environmental impact of course, while the look of fake grass just isn’t doing it for modern buyers and it could cost you £15,000 in fees.”
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PANo bath - £6,000
In the age of walk-in showers and rainforest jets, the humble bathtub can get ignored - but do this at your peril, warns Terry.
“Many people favour a shower but you have to think who might be buying your house,” he said. “Families with young children will want a bath while older people also favour it over standing up for a wash.
“Others simply just like sinking into a hot tub to soothe their aches and pains. Not having one can be costly.”