The Biggest Property Turn Offs

Monica Gray - July 7, 2023

Photo: Reddit

When you’re looking for a new house, there are tons of aspects you want to consider. This is your future life after all. If you find an issue when viewing a house, it will likely continue to be an issue as time goes on. There are a few aspects of a property that are forgivable. This includes discolored paint, old wallpaper, and carpets that need replacing. They’re quick fixes that don’t cost a lot of money. But other, bigger property turn-offs will likely deter someone from investing in that property. Surveys suggest that certain things will decrease the value of your property. Real estate agent Aaron Cambden said, “If your front door needs a fresh lick of paint, sort it out quickly, those first impressions help buyers and estate agents understand how they should be viewing and evaluating a home from the offset.” If you’re trying to sell your home, fix it up before doing anything else. One small problem might be the reason a potential buyer ultimately says no. Other issues, like bad design, awkward layout, or transportation noise are unforgivable. And just because you don’t mind the lack of parking or highway noise pollution, it doesn’t mean someone else can turn a blind eye to those things…

Damp Stains And Mold

Not only is mold a health hazard, but damp stains on your walls and floor signal other issues that we can’t see with our naked eye. People might wonder if your house leaks during heavy rainstorms, or if there’s mold growing on the frame of your house. Mold and stains also make your property look unkempt, unlivable, and dirty. Mold can cause a host of respiratory problems, including a cough, sore throat, and itchy eyes and skin. It causes a lot more issues than not. If it’s not solved quickly, it becomes a multi-week issue. Many landlords try and blame the mold and damp stains on a lack of ventilation and condensation. The best thing to do is to avoid this completely on your property, with low-level heating and thermal insulation. Home experts say having a moldy home could knock off nearly $8,000 worth of value in your house (Basing Stoke).

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Bad DIY Designs

There’s nothing worse than walking into a home and finding a butchered DIY project, left completely untouched. For example, if your DIY design includes unusual curtains, misplaced fireplaces, or awkward, unused spaces, it’s time to get to work. As photographed above, the homeowners thought it’d be a great idea to shove a dresser into the alcove of this window, away from everyone and everything. How did they even manage to get it up there? Dina from Please Hate These Things said this is “the perfect place to store 15 years’ worth of dust,” and we can see how. If you’re trying to sell your home, take a look at your interior and think about the bigger picture. How can you improve it? (Love Property)

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No Garden Or A Damaged Garden

Unless you’re living in the middle of a major city, no one wants to buy a property that lacks a garden or an outdoor area or has a damaged, overgrown garden. There’s a reason people move away from the cities, and this is one of them. If your home has a damaged garden, it could knock off 7,600 dollars of the property value. Finally, if your garden is in some serious need of property fixing, it could knock over $100,000 off the value. An overgrown garden makes the home seem unkempt and could cause more problems to fix than not. If you’re trying to sell your property, make sure you clean up your garden, if your property even has one (Express).

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Dirty Bathroom And Kitchen

A dirty bathroom and kitchen signal bacteria, germs, and infestation. If a buyer is looking around a property, they want to see it spick and span. If there are dirty dishes in the sink, dust, and dirt everywhere, and a mold problem, most buyers will have trouble picturing themselves living there. Outdated decor and walls peeling with paint are also a big no-no. The bathrooms and kitchens are two of the most used rooms in the home. Miles Shipside from Rightmove said, “Many potential buyers will try to imagine themselves living in the property during a viewing, and having their senses offended by a lack of cleanliness or hygiene can be a real barrier.” Before you have home viewings, take out the cleaning supplies ad get scrubbing (The Guardian).

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Bad Smells

If your home smells like cigarettes, cat pee, or dog, there’s a bigger issue at play. No one wants to walk into a home and get slammed in the face with bad smells everywhere. When something smells, it means that the place needs a lot of revamping and work, which equates to money. A bad smell can also be hazardous to your health. Mold can cause respiratory issues, and breathing in cat pee ammonia is dangerous and can make you sick. Sophia Mose-van Woensel, who works in property finding, said bad smells trigger negative reactions in buyers, because “They might not even notice it all that much at the time of viewing, while they’re concentrating on the layout and state of the house, but the thing with bad odors is that they create a subconscious bad impression that lingers. It gives them an overall ‘bad feeling’ about the house,” she says. “That is disastrous, as you can’t reason with that kind of sentiment.” Even if your ideal home checks all your boxes, sometimes taking out the carpet isn’t enough to solve a cat pee issue. It’s better to not have to deal with this problem in the first place and make sure your home is free from any odors (The Guardian).

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Student Apartment Next Door

Your neighbors are just as important as the house itself. No one wants to buy a house that’s full of noisy neighbors who will likely party several times a week. Having student neighbors almost guarantees this noise, since Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are party nights for college kids. This Reddit user shares their horrible experience with student neighbors. They said, “Sunday games are tailgating games and our entire neighborhood gets shut down so drunk parents and students can party. More terrible music gets blasted over the PA. The games and tailgating last the entire day with drunk people lingering way past the end of the game. I have to rope off my property just to keep people from hanging out on my lawn or making my lawn a smoking area since smoking is not allowed on campus.” If you’re looking to buy a property, make sure it’s not anywhere near student housing. Even though living in a University town might sound appealing, once the parties start, it ruins the charm. Those weekly Sunday afternoon football games are no joke, either (Reddit).

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Dilapidated Neighboring Property

Your neighbors say it all. In terms of safety, no one wants to buy a home that’s surrounded by one, or many, dilapidated homes. It screams danger. If you do end up buying a home near a dilapidated property, you’ll have to contact your local town’s department and see if they can do anything about it. Still, it’s not a situation you’ll want to be in when you’re first purchasing a home. A user on Quora faced this problem. One of their neighbor’s dilapidated homes was preventing them from selling their property. As a response, one internet user took action and said, “In my case, we knew we were going to be selling our house within the next year or so and confronted our neighbor. After requesting, politely, that they cut the grass, etc., and receiving their refusal, we contacted the township. The by-law officers came out and gave them the list of local ordinances which include that grass cannot be allowed to grow to 4 feet and that they had to keep their property maintained.” After a few weeks, their neighbors complied. Remember, if you’re facing this issue, the first step is to confront your neighbor and see what they can do. Otherwise, you might never sell your property (Quora).

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Having Odd Plants In Your Garden

Odd plants might look cool, but they’re not cool for potential buyers. Keeping strange plants in your garden is one way to lose the interest of a potential buyer. People like seeing things clean, neat, and orderly when they’re buying a home. Robert Lazarus, the sales director at Paramount Properties, said, “Although buyers pay more attention to the condition of the house than the garden, strange-looking plants can send warning signals. If a buyer can’t recognize a plant they fear it could be Japanese knotweed.” If they can’t identify a plant, it could be an invasive species that may have detrimental results. It’s always a good idea to keep your plants and gardens simple. In your garden, less is more, and you can surprise people with just how beautiful your garden is by taking it to the next level with DIY projects (The Guardian).

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Dark Rooms And Poor Natural Light

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have access to natural light and floor-to-ceiling windows in every single one of our rooms. Dark lighting makes the space seem smaller and claustrophobic, especially compared to rooms with a lot of light. There are ways you can make artificial light in an otherwise dark space. You can assign certain windows in the room as the focal point. This is the first thing the eye will go to when someone walks into the room. Stock up on mirrors to reflect light, and avoid dark tones as much as possible (Apartment Therapy).

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Construction Work

Not only is ongoing construction work distracting, but unfinished work on a building is also an issue for people buying homes. GoCompare’s home insurance spokesperson Ben Wilson said, “Buying a home is a major investment and most people are put off by outdated properties or those in a poor state of repair. While dated décor can be remedied easily and relatively cheaply, major flaws from poor maintenance or badly botched DIY can be expensive to put right.” That goes for unfinished building work, especially if the work has been ongoing for several months. People may realize the work will never finish, and they don’t want to live in a place that’s constantly in need of construction work (House Beautiful).

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Transportation Noise

A little bit of noise from the road is understandable. If you’re in a busy city or on a main road it’s unavoidable. But too much transportation noise, whether it’s from airplanes, trains, or traffic, is unappealing to buyers. Reddit users have experience with this sort of noise. One user complained, “My wife and I purchased a home near the major thoroughfare of our village. It seems like a good neighborhood and generally like our first home. One thing my wife is struggling with is traffic noise while in the backyard. We’d like to enjoy our outdoor space but we can hear cars speeding by on the route that is only separated from our property by one row of houses. To make things worse, our home is near a historic site with a giant meadow that seems to somehow amplify the noise.” Hearing loud noise may deter people from purchasing a property and ever moving in. There’s nothing wrong with wanting peace (Reddit).

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Untidy Communal Areas In Flats

If you share a communal area with other people in neighboring apartments, there’s nothing worse than untidy, dirty living areas. This includes areas both inside and outside the property. Communal areas are the first parts of a home property buyers will see. It’s important to make sure this area is clean. It might even be worth painting over the walls to make sure everything looks extra sparkly. Not only does a dirty communal area attract insects or cockroaches, but it can be a breeding ground for germs (PBM).

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Old Boiler Or Central Heating System

An old boiler or heating system typically means it won’t work as well or be as effective. Old boilers can eat up a lot of money and cost a lot to run. Because they’re not as efficient, they can run for years on end. Don’t count on it suddenly breaking. If you do happen to purchase a home with an old boiler, think about replacing it as soon as possible. It’s a common issue that can cause a lot more anxiety than not and may deter people away from buying your home (Reddit).

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Death Or Crime

Death in the home makes buyers feel uncomfortable, as do dead animals in the backyard. If you have dead squirrels in your yard or dead pigeons floating in your pool, there’s a bigger issue at hand. It gives buyers a sensation that something is off and it doesn’t feel right. Simply ask your real estate agent if someone died in the home before you even look at it. Even though they’re not required to disclose the information, if asked directly, they’re required to be truthful. Arizona Attorney Jason Wells said, while “no legal obligation in most states requiring that [sellers] disclose it,” they must disclose it if there was a murder, because “If it’s a violent death, it becomes a marked property that people don’t necessarily want to become associated with.” You can also do your research online, ask your neighbors, and head to the library to find out more information. In the case of this Reddit user, they found a mark where their ex-neighbor was found. It’s better not to purchase this sort of house in the first place to avoid any discomfort or sleepless nights (Realtor).

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Property In Need Of Dire Repair

When homeowners are looking at a new property, they’re imagining themselves living there. If your property is in dire need of repair, like if there are peeling window frames, damaged paint, mold and water stains, and rotten flooring, then you’re in trouble. No one wants to buy a home that needs immediate repair right when they move in. If they do, you better prepare for a low buying price. Even though many repairs are DIY, ask yourself why you’re purchasing a house that needs a lot of repairs. If you’re trying to sell the home, then consider taking some time to fix a few of the major problems before even trying to put it on the market. A little bit goes a long way (Angi).

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The Seller Trying To Sell The Property

There’s nothing more off-putting than the seller showing you their property. That’s why real estate agents exist. They take the pressure off of looking at the property. If the seller is trying to show you around, you might feel awkward looking around, or like they’re trying to oversell their home. Even though selling your property means you won’t have to give a commission to a real estate agent, it does mean there are a host of other issues involved. Realtor Bruce Ailion said, “A realtor can follow up without communicating a sense of eagerness or desperation; following up is their job. When a seller repeatedly checks, it signals, rightly or wrongly, the willingness to accept a lower price.” A seller calling you, begging you to buy their home is certainly a huge turn-off and may push you away from buying their property. He also said, For Sale By Owner “sellers are viewed as unrealistic, unreasonable, and difficult sellers whom professional realtors have rejected.” It’s always better to go the traditional route and use a real estate agent (Investopedia).

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No Parking Available

If your property doesn’t have available parking, car owners aren’t going to buy it. Trying to find a parking spot on a street can cause major headaches, especially if it’s alternate street parking. It’s even worse if they own multiple cars. Alternatively, if your property is the only one with parking in your neighborhood, it can cause major issues with your neighbors. Many people struggle with their neighbors parking in front of their homes or next to their driveway. If you’re trying to buy a home and own a car, make available parking a high priority on your list to discuss with your realtor (Reddit).

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Cluttered Home

As we’ve mentioned before, people like to imagine themselves inside the home before buying it. If there’s clutter, it puts people off and may deter them from buying your home. It provides a distraction for buyers, and it also gives an impression that there’s not enough storage space in your home. All of these are a big no-no. If you don’t have a lot of space to start with, consider getting a storage unit and packing away holiday things and outdated furniture. By decluttering and styling your home, you could potentially add up to $50,000. And it’s not enough to just place things in closets, oftentimes buyers will look inside your closets and storage spaces to see how big they are. Before selling your home, try selling things you don’t need anymore to keep your space decluttered (Simplify My Home).

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Awkward Layouts

Older properties tend to have awkward layouts, especially in terraced houses. The bathroom might be on the ground floor or only accessed through a bedroom. The dining room might be far away from the kitchen. There might also not be as many open spaces, making the property feel claustrophobic. Even though you can’t change your home’s layout, you can decorate it and arrange it with furniture to work around the layout and make it feel as spacious as possible. This also works for homes that have small rooms. Many people dislike homes with small rooms, but there are ways you can make a small room seem much bigger than it is. You can place tables in large bay windows, utilize the space under your staircase, and bring small corners to life with hanging plants (BHG).

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Exterior Walls Made Of Pebbledash

Homes with pebble-dash exteriors were popular in the 1920s. Considering its 100 years since then, there’s no reason your home should have this unattractive exterior. It’s unappealing to look at, especially if it’s next to homes with brick or wooden exteriors. It’s a coarse, inexpensive wall finish that doesn’t need to be painted over. It also doesn’t last very long, and you’ll need to work on it faster than you would with homes of other types of exteriors (Never Paint Again).

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Colored Bathroom Suites

In the 1980s, colored bathroom suites were all the rage. Talk about ferns and avocado-colored bathrooms! People loved their vibrant bathrooms, which looks hideous to our modern eyes. Some people would argue they would even get a headache. Be careful with these fittings, since they could knock several thousand dollars off the value of your home. Even if you do love your retro vintage bathroom, consider revamping it before showing your house (Pinterest).

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Houses With Pets

This goes without saying, but any house with a ton of pets can cause issues for potential buyers. This is because of the smell and presence of pet hair. Even if the buyer loves cats or dogs as much as you do, they might lose interest in your home if a bunch of furry felines are running around. This rings especially true if they have kids who suffer from asthma or allergies related to animals. Even simply owning a pet could knock thousands of dollars off of the value of your home. One survey even suggested that nearly 40% of buyers are put off by bad smells and messes in general (Country Living).

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Outdated Wiring

Similar to outdated boilers, outdated wiring can pose a problem for potential buyers. It’s dangerous and is a fire hazard. No one wants to buy a home they feel unsafe in. The older a system is, the more likely it is to overheat and have worn-out insulation. Short circuits and electrical discharges are the two main causes of electrical fires. Old rubber wire insulation can also flake and become easily brittle (Members First).

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Small Kitchens

Everyone loves a big kitchen. That extra elbow room is a necessity when cooking. And when buying a home, people love picturing themselves hosting dinner parties, cooking with their friends, and having big family dinners. If your kitchen is cramped or small, it might deter potential buyers from investing in your home. Luckily, you can make your small kitchen look bigger with a few changes. Use color to your advantage, use geometric patterns to draw the eye vertically, and add mirrors to reflect light and make the space seem bigger (Insinkerator).

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