Every homeowner wants to ensure that their property retains its value, especially when it comes to selling and moving on to pastures new.
A great estate agent will support you throughout this process, provide informed guidance on how to get the best out of your property, and be able to look beyond the completion date. They will want to work with you to make sure that your property purchase is a secure, long term investment that will retain its value if not increase.
You’ll never tick every box on everyone’s list when you’re selling a property but it’s important to appeal to the masses – think about reducing the hassle factor for potential buyers and focus on the smaller jobs that make a big impact. Some of these features are surprisingly quick and simple to amend, such as filling in holes in the walls where your pictures previously hung, or simply tidying up the exterior or your home to boost kerb appeal. There are however more significant changes that will require larger investments depending on your funds and priorities.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a 2 minute read on our top five things to avoid when selling your property that could risk devaluing your home.
Noise Pollution
This is heavily reliant on the physical location of your property. Unfortunately some noise pollution cannot be avoided completely, for example; if you live on a busy road, a train line, close to a busy pub or restaurant, however you can make simple changes and improvements in your home you can help to reduce noise levels. Rugs or carpet can dampen the sound of hard floors. Soundproof windows and external wall insulation can help reduce outside noise.
Low Energy Efficiency Rating
Greener living is becoming more important to homeowners, especially with the increased cost of living, people are prioritising sustainable living more than ever to benefit the environment as well as economics. You can start small by switching to energy-saving bulbs with minimal effort and cost, or invest more by upgrading your boiler to a more energy efficient model can have a significant effect on the energy consumption of your property. This will peak the interest of multiple buyers
Sub-standard renovations & poor maintenance
When you take care of a property it shows. A buyer will immediately be able to identify if the property has been cared for and respected. Fundamentals such as chipped paintwork, worn carpet, dirty grouting and windows or an unkempt lawn negatively affect the value of your property.
While you may tackle certain home tasks well, for larger or intricate projects, it’s essential to enlist a professional’s expertise. When it comes to gas, electrics, plumbing, heating, and plastering, always prioritise hiring qualified tradespeople – you might end up doing more harm than good, not to mention the safety element!
Pets In Your Home
Whatever your feelings are concerning household pets, they are a contributing factor to devaluing a property – consider it wear and tear on the home and garden. Research shows that ‘depending on the damage done, you could be looking at between 5-20 per cent of a decrease in value’. It is always a good idea to remove visible signs of pets when conducting property viewings, have carpets professionally cleaned and make sure that any damage caused on doors or skirting boards are repaired.
A messy neighbouring house
Unkempt front gardens, poor maintenance and items discarded outside a neighbouring property can devalue a property. There is little legal action that can be taken legally to force a neighbour to maintain their property to the aesthetic standard, you might like them to but if their lack of maintenance causes detrimental impact to your own, the Council can assist and force the neighbour to take action. There is however a lot to be said for a simple conversation and a kind word – offering to lend a hand and tackle a pesky front lawn or build a bin store can go a long way. Community and collaboration can work wonders for property sales!
For some further interesting insights into features that can devalue a property for sale, House Beautiful wrote a thought-provoking piece. Click here to find out the 19 surprising features new research found to devalue a property.