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| 23 Buyer Turn-Offs When Selling Your Home Article By Noel Peebles - Homes For Sale Article Continues (part 2) Return to points 1 to 10 |
11. Overpowering colors and patterns. Strong colors and patterns can be effective when
used sparingly, but when over used, they can become a big turn-off for buyers. Fashions change and personal
tastes differ. If the décor is ‘in your face’ a buyer will either, like it, or hate it. A buyer might have just purchased a
brand new green lounge suite only to discover the room is bright purple. The safer option is to tone down décor,
or use neutral colors, and appeal to a wider market. No buyer wants to buy a house and then redecorate every
room after moving in. That’s hard work and costs money!
Remember too, bold or busy patterns can be dramatic and add a designer flare, but they can also make a room
look smaller, and quickly go out of fashion. Don’t let colors or patterns become a buyer turn-off when selling your
home.
used sparingly, but when over used, they can become a big turn-off for buyers. Fashions change and personal
tastes differ. If the décor is ‘in your face’ a buyer will either, like it, or hate it. A buyer might have just purchased a
brand new green lounge suite only to discover the room is bright purple. The safer option is to tone down décor,
or use neutral colors, and appeal to a wider market. No buyer wants to buy a house and then redecorate every
room after moving in. That’s hard work and costs money!
Remember too, bold or busy patterns can be dramatic and add a designer flare, but they can also make a room
look smaller, and quickly go out of fashion. Don’t let colors or patterns become a buyer turn-off when selling your
home.
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12. Textured finishes. Again, these can work
for, or against, a quick home sale. Textured walls and
ceilings appear permanent and difficult to change if a
buyer doesn’t like the finish. The buyer might also wonder
if the texture is hiding leaks or cracks.
13. Flooring issues. The wrong type of
flooring, bold patterns/colors, flooring in need of repair, or
needing a clean… these are all buyer turn-offs. Few
buyers searching for homes for sale will want carpet in a
bathroom, kitchen area, or where kids are eating. A filthy
carpet can be disgusting and will need to be cleaned or
replaced.
14. Outmoded appliances or
systems. Who would want to buy a home for sale
with inadequate electrical or plumbing systems? Although
a buyer won’t necessarily expect everything to be the
latest and greatest, most people want appliances to be in
working order, and systems able to cope with modern
conveniences.
15. Dirty bathrooms. Bathrooms need to be
cleaned as if you could eat off the surface. No soap scum,
no body hairs in the shower, no water stains in the toilet,
no mould, no leaking taps, no dirty mirrors, no flaking paint
work and no chalking around the shower, tub or sink.
When selling your home, bathrooms not only need to be
spotless… they need to smell clean too!
16. Bathroom décor. Strange colored vanity
units, tubs, toilets etc can have limited appeal. Classic
white is the safest option. A small investment in co-
ordinated towels, bath mat and shower curtain can be
money well spent. A buyer searching for homes for sale
will want to know how many bathrooms there are and
where they are located. Some homes for sale have toilets
in weird places!
17. Kitchen letdown. Often it is the kitchen
that lets the rest of the house down. Although it’s not
always worth replacing kitchen appliances and décor prior
to selling, a good clean and tidy-up is always worth doing.
Remove clutter from benches and cupboards; clean the
fridge, stove, floors and anything else that is dirty or
untidy. Fix anything that’s broken or looks like it needs
repairing.
for, or against, a quick home sale. Textured walls and
ceilings appear permanent and difficult to change if a
buyer doesn’t like the finish. The buyer might also wonder
if the texture is hiding leaks or cracks.
13. Flooring issues. The wrong type of
flooring, bold patterns/colors, flooring in need of repair, or
needing a clean… these are all buyer turn-offs. Few
buyers searching for homes for sale will want carpet in a
bathroom, kitchen area, or where kids are eating. A filthy
carpet can be disgusting and will need to be cleaned or
replaced.
14. Outmoded appliances or
systems. Who would want to buy a home for sale
with inadequate electrical or plumbing systems? Although
a buyer won’t necessarily expect everything to be the
latest and greatest, most people want appliances to be in
working order, and systems able to cope with modern
conveniences.
15. Dirty bathrooms. Bathrooms need to be
cleaned as if you could eat off the surface. No soap scum,
no body hairs in the shower, no water stains in the toilet,
no mould, no leaking taps, no dirty mirrors, no flaking paint
work and no chalking around the shower, tub or sink.
When selling your home, bathrooms not only need to be
spotless… they need to smell clean too!
16. Bathroom décor. Strange colored vanity
units, tubs, toilets etc can have limited appeal. Classic
white is the safest option. A small investment in co-
ordinated towels, bath mat and shower curtain can be
money well spent. A buyer searching for homes for sale
will want to know how many bathrooms there are and
where they are located. Some homes for sale have toilets
in weird places!
17. Kitchen letdown. Often it is the kitchen
that lets the rest of the house down. Although it’s not
always worth replacing kitchen appliances and décor prior
to selling, a good clean and tidy-up is always worth doing.
Remove clutter from benches and cupboards; clean the
fridge, stove, floors and anything else that is dirty or
untidy. Fix anything that’s broken or looks like it needs
repairing.
Homes for sale need to be spotless if you are going
to get a top price when selling your home. Mildew and
dampness in bathrooms can be big buyer turn-offs
when selling your home. Do all the necessary spring
cleaning before listing your home for sale
to get a top price when selling your home. Mildew and
dampness in bathrooms can be big buyer turn-offs
when selling your home. Do all the necessary spring
cleaning before listing your home for sale
18. House smells. Every home has a smell of
some kind, although we don’t usually notice it in our own
home. If you go away for a few days, you’ll probably detect
the smell as you open the door. It may not be a bad smell,
but it is the smell a stranger might notice when visiting
your house for the first time. It could be a mix of cigarette
smoke, cooking odors, furniture polish, mildew, animals,
furnishings, drapes, carpets, floor polish, cleaners, dust,
fruit, flowers, stored foods or any number of things.
If the smell is too offensive, a thorough spring clean might
help; or you could get the carpet/drapes cleaned, or buy
some plug-in fragrance oils, or carpet deodorizer. Opening
the windows might help too. The old idea of hiding smells
with freshly brewed coffee or baking could be worth a try.
19. Dirt, grime and stains. We can often
tolerate our own mess, but no one likes other people’s dirt.
Regardless of how clean your house is; give it a thorough
go-over from top to bottom, BEFORE listing your home for
sale. Clean everything and clean in every nook and
cranny. Check for stains e.g. oil stains on the driveway,
nicotine stains on the roof, carpet stains etc. Check for
fingerprints, smudges, cracks or scratches on glass, walls,
cupboards etc. If the walls and surrounds still look tired, a
coat of paint will freshen them up.
Clean the fridge, stove, bench tops, exhaust fans, floors…
everything before listing your home for sale! An old
toothbrush is ideal for getting into corners and cleaning
around taps. Check the window sills regularly for dead flies
some kind, although we don’t usually notice it in our own
home. If you go away for a few days, you’ll probably detect
the smell as you open the door. It may not be a bad smell,
but it is the smell a stranger might notice when visiting
your house for the first time. It could be a mix of cigarette
smoke, cooking odors, furniture polish, mildew, animals,
furnishings, drapes, carpets, floor polish, cleaners, dust,
fruit, flowers, stored foods or any number of things.
If the smell is too offensive, a thorough spring clean might
help; or you could get the carpet/drapes cleaned, or buy
some plug-in fragrance oils, or carpet deodorizer. Opening
the windows might help too. The old idea of hiding smells
with freshly brewed coffee or baking could be worth a try.
19. Dirt, grime and stains. We can often
tolerate our own mess, but no one likes other people’s dirt.
Regardless of how clean your house is; give it a thorough
go-over from top to bottom, BEFORE listing your home for
sale. Clean everything and clean in every nook and
cranny. Check for stains e.g. oil stains on the driveway,
nicotine stains on the roof, carpet stains etc. Check for
fingerprints, smudges, cracks or scratches on glass, walls,
cupboards etc. If the walls and surrounds still look tired, a
coat of paint will freshen them up.
Clean the fridge, stove, bench tops, exhaust fans, floors…
everything before listing your home for sale! An old
toothbrush is ideal for getting into corners and cleaning
around taps. Check the window sills regularly for dead flies
20. Pet distractions. If you have pets, you probably treat them like one of the family. However, pets
can be a major distraction when selling your home. Some people don’t like animals, others are scared of them, or
allergic to cat fur and dog hairs…and to be honest, other people just don’t like the odors associated with keeping
animals.
If you have pets, put them outside as much as possible, especially when a prospective buyer calls. People can be
easily frightened, or intimidated, by a barking or boisterous dog.
Check for fleas, vacuum the floors, furniture and bedding for pet hairs. You could try sprinkling some carpet
freshener around the house. If you have a cat, be sure to empty the kitty litter container regularly and use plenty
of baking soda.
21. Mildew and dampness. This can be a big turn-off for buyers, because dampness is not only
unpleasant and unsightly, but it can also be a warning of potential problem with the property. Is the mildew in the
bathroom caused by poor ventilation, moisture build up, or leaking pipes in the walls? Is the musty smell in the
basement an indication of poor drainage, or perhaps a broken pipe? If something is faulty, then it may be best to
put it right, before listing your home for sale. You could also consider a dehumidifier and opening more windows.
22. Nightmare neighbors. You've done all the things needed to tidy up your home and get it ready
for sale, except for one problem. A rundown neighboring property, can affect the value of your home, and even
make it hard to sell. There may be several other homes for sale in the street suffering from the same neighbor.
You could be faced with any number of problems from the scrap yard look, overgrown gardens, and abandoned
cars…to dogs barking, or noisy music. Unfortunately, your options are fairly limited when selling your home.
You could try tactfully raising your concerns with your neighbor and even offer your help with tidying up the
property. You could seek support from other neighbors when discussing your concerns with the offending
neighbour, but this could make matters even worse. There may be legal options if noise, danger, or non-
compliance with bylaws is an issue. Worse case scenario, you may have to sell your home for a lower price, if
your neighbor won't cooperate.
23. An overpriced house. This can be a big buyer turn-off.
Your home is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it in the CURRENT MARKET. The problem is; most of us
become attached to our home and believe our home is worth more than it really is. Pricing your home to sell does
not mean giving it away for next to nothing. It just means being realistic and listening to the market. A buyer does
not care about how much you might want or need, they only care about what the home is worth to them. Don’t fall
into the trap of overpricing your home. The longer your home is on the market, the weaker your bargaining power.
Work through each of these 23 buyer turn-offs to see if any of these issues relate to your home for sale. Major
problems could mean either, you invest big dollars resolving them, or you adjust your listing price accordingly.
Major problems can affect the price you get, or how quickly you sell your home. They could include:
bad location, bad wiring, subsidence, foundation problems, structural problems, major cracks, poor plumbing,
environmental hazards, bad floor plans, a bad roof, or poor parking.
Buyers searching for homes for sale will be scared off by major problems, so you need to think clearly about your
options and seek professional guidance. I wish you every success selling your home.
can be a major distraction when selling your home. Some people don’t like animals, others are scared of them, or
allergic to cat fur and dog hairs…and to be honest, other people just don’t like the odors associated with keeping
animals.
If you have pets, put them outside as much as possible, especially when a prospective buyer calls. People can be
easily frightened, or intimidated, by a barking or boisterous dog.
Check for fleas, vacuum the floors, furniture and bedding for pet hairs. You could try sprinkling some carpet
freshener around the house. If you have a cat, be sure to empty the kitty litter container regularly and use plenty
of baking soda.
21. Mildew and dampness. This can be a big turn-off for buyers, because dampness is not only
unpleasant and unsightly, but it can also be a warning of potential problem with the property. Is the mildew in the
bathroom caused by poor ventilation, moisture build up, or leaking pipes in the walls? Is the musty smell in the
basement an indication of poor drainage, or perhaps a broken pipe? If something is faulty, then it may be best to
put it right, before listing your home for sale. You could also consider a dehumidifier and opening more windows.
22. Nightmare neighbors. You've done all the things needed to tidy up your home and get it ready
for sale, except for one problem. A rundown neighboring property, can affect the value of your home, and even
make it hard to sell. There may be several other homes for sale in the street suffering from the same neighbor.
You could be faced with any number of problems from the scrap yard look, overgrown gardens, and abandoned
cars…to dogs barking, or noisy music. Unfortunately, your options are fairly limited when selling your home.
You could try tactfully raising your concerns with your neighbor and even offer your help with tidying up the
property. You could seek support from other neighbors when discussing your concerns with the offending
neighbour, but this could make matters even worse. There may be legal options if noise, danger, or non-
compliance with bylaws is an issue. Worse case scenario, you may have to sell your home for a lower price, if
your neighbor won't cooperate.
23. An overpriced house. This can be a big buyer turn-off.
Your home is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it in the CURRENT MARKET. The problem is; most of us
become attached to our home and believe our home is worth more than it really is. Pricing your home to sell does
not mean giving it away for next to nothing. It just means being realistic and listening to the market. A buyer does
not care about how much you might want or need, they only care about what the home is worth to them. Don’t fall
into the trap of overpricing your home. The longer your home is on the market, the weaker your bargaining power.
Work through each of these 23 buyer turn-offs to see if any of these issues relate to your home for sale. Major
problems could mean either, you invest big dollars resolving them, or you adjust your listing price accordingly.
Major problems can affect the price you get, or how quickly you sell your home. They could include:
bad location, bad wiring, subsidence, foundation problems, structural problems, major cracks, poor plumbing,
environmental hazards, bad floor plans, a bad roof, or poor parking.
Buyers searching for homes for sale will be scared off by major problems, so you need to think clearly about your
options and seek professional guidance. I wish you every success selling your home.
Homes for sale need to be spotless and uncluttered if
you are going to get a top price when selling your
home. Kitchens can be a big selling point or a big
buyer turn-off when selling your home. Do the
necessary spring clean before listing your home for
sale
you are going to get a top price when selling your
home. Kitchens can be a big selling point or a big
buyer turn-off when selling your home. Do the
necessary spring clean before listing your home for
sale