Five features that decrease the value of your home

When you’re preparing to sell your house or flat you might think of various steps you could take that might increase its value, such as converting unused space to a new room. But another important factor you need to consider is how certain existing features might actually decrease the value of your home, making it harder to find a buyer at the price you’re seeking.

Several features large and small can have a negative impact on your home’s value

Homeowners looking to sell their properties need to make sure that their house or flat looks as best as it can before potential buyers come to visit on viewings. A tidy and well-maintained house will help increase the overall perceived value of the property.

But there are sometimes issues with homes that can decrease the total value of your home, at least as far as prospective buyers are concerned. And as the home buying experts at LDN Properties know, some of these features might not be immediately obvious as the reason why you’re not able to find a buyer at your current asking price.

When you’re ready to sell your house or flat, check the list below to see whether the property has any of the features that might be lowering its value below what you’d like to get in a sale.

Five features that can decrease the perceived value of your property

Some features at a home will be incredibly unique, such as the recent story about a house that’s struggling to sell because it’s located next to a graveyard – and the plan for trying to finally secure a buyer is to give the buyer a free burial plot. There’s not much that particular homeowner can do to solve their issue, but it’s also a problem very specific to their home.

In contrast, there are a number of common features at houses and flats that can reduce their vale. The following list includes five property features that can decrease the total value of your home, making it harder for you to sell at the price that you might want or need:

Outbuildings in poor condition

Although a well-kept greenhouse, garage or shed can be attractive to buyers, they can also be major turnoffs if they are in poor condition. If you have an outbuilding on your land that is in such a bad state that demolition is the only solution, this will detract from your home’s value.

Cluttered and dirty rooms

If the rooms in your house are cluttered with furniture and other items, or they are dirty, or both, this will be a turnoff to many buyers who come to see the house on viewings. If your house is full of clutter it will make the rooms look smaller than they actually are, which will make visitors think the space is worth less than what you are asking.

Swimming pool

Having a swimming pool is not a common feature at many homes, but it is one that can be a significant negative attribute despite some people seeing it is a luxury perk. That’s because the cost of maintaining a swimming pool is very high, and it’s something many people don’t want to take on when they’re looking at buying a property.

Untidy garden

First impressions always matter, and that’s the case when selling your home. If you have a garden and it is overgrown with weeds and other mess, it will not be appealing to buyers who come to visit on viewings. Having an untidy garden can make people think that your home is worth less than it actually is, making it harder for you to secure a sale.

Structural problems

If your home has a structural problem it can devalue your house, possibly by thousands of pounds depending on the scope of the problem. Among the various features that would be considered structural problems are leaks, subsidence, the presence of the invasive species Japanese knotweed, and other issues that will lower your property’s overall value.

Make changes to your property if you have any of the listed negative features

If your house or flat has any of the above features, you should consider ways that you could address them in order to prevent the value of your property being impacted.

For some projects that might be relatively easy, for example by tidying up the garden or by removing clutter from rooms around the house. Other larger-scale fixes will cost you significant time and money, such as removing a swimming pool if there’s one at your home.

Only do the corrective work for which you have the time and money, and don’t overextend yourself. But do make changes to your home if you have any or all of the listed features, because your priority should be getting as much money for selling your home as possible.

 

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