If you are looking to sell your home, you know how vital the viewing stage is. It is hard enough for vendors to reach this stage, but once you have prospective buyers in your property, you need to pull out all the stops.
It is important to think about ways you can maximise the presence of your home to impress buyers, but you must also consider the importance of minimising the flaws in your home.
There are many potential problems for vendors to consider and a study undertaken recently spoke to people who viewed property with an intention of buying. Over 1,000 people who viewed at least one property between August 2018 and July 2019 were questioned about issues that made them question whether they wished to buy the property.
Stains and cracks form a negative impression for buyers
The most commonly cited reason was stains, cracks or marks on walls, ceilings and floors. A substantial 76% of respondents provided this reason, so it is clearly an issue for vendors to consider. It is always best to review your home carefully before placing it onto the market, and making sure you minimise the presence of these features.
Another issue which was cited by more than 70% of respondents were problems in the bathroom. If there is low water pressure in the home or the toilet doesn’t flush, it is natural for prospective buyers to form a negative impression of the property. 71% of respondents cited this problem when looking at property.
Dangerous elements around the home cause problems for buyers too
66% of respondents said they were unhappy to see exposed wires around the home. As this is a safety issue, it is not a surprise to see it is a concern for buyers. 63% of respondents said they had concerns about damaged, broken or uneven flooring.
The top ten problems cited by viewers include:
- Extensive cracks/marks/stains etc on walls/ceilings & floors
- Bathroom fixtures not functioning properly
- Exposed wire
- Damaged/broken/uneven flooring
- Heavily damaged/broken/worn out kitchen units/cupboards
- Extensive mould in bathroom
- Damaged/broken/worn out doors/windows & frames
- Rusting interior and/or exterior pipes
- Exterior brickwork damaged/worn out/ageing poorly
- Light switches/fixtures not working
If you find you have any of these problems around your property, it is best to make improvements as quickly as you can. The property market is highly competitive, and issues like this can prevent you from selling your home. By minimising the problems or issues a prospective buyer may find fault with, you improve your chances of selling your home.
If you are keen to better connect with buyers at the viewing stage, please contact Williams of Petersfield as we are happy to help. We offer an extensive range of services aimed at helping you to make the best impression on buyers, enabling you to sell your home at a faster rate.