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Revealed: Top property turn-offs for buyers

Christina Hoghton
Written By:
Christina Hoghton
Posted:
Updated:
27/02/2024

The property deal-breakers that send homebuyers running

The biggest turn-offs for potential property buyers are damp, bad smells, poorly kept homes and homes in broadband blackspots, according to GoCompare Home Insurance.

The price comparison site found that over two-thirds of buyers (69%) would be put off a property if there was evidence of damp.

The second biggest deal breaker was a stinky home (63%) while an unkempt home with peeling paintwork and rotten window frames would deter 59% of those looking for a new property.

No parking and broadband blackspots complete the top five turn-offs.

Dated decor

Just under a quarter (24%) of buyers said they would be put-off by an outdated kitchen while 22% would find a dated bathroom a total turn-off.

Poor maintenance and an unkempt appearance were also red-flags to potential buyers; 46% would be put off by a dirty property, 31% by broken or rotten boundary walls or fences, 17% by an overgrown garden and 15% by cluttered rooms.

Ben Wilson, GoCompare’s Home Insurance spokesperson, said: “Buying a home is a major investment and most people are put off by outdated properties or those in a poor state of repair.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. In particular, if a property shows evidence of damp – whether it’s a stain or moldy smell – it’s a warning sign, which depending on the cause, could be costly to repair.

“While there are many design aspects of a property, such as the decor, which can be altered to suit individual tastes, there are others which can’t be or are harder or more expensive to change. For example, its location, whether it’s in a broadband blackspot, isn’t connected to mains gas or sewerage or, is close to a major road or motorway. So, when viewing a potential new home try to look past its aesthetic flaws and focus on the bigger issues.”