'This area can throw up some oddities,' mused a west London based agent. Vendors don't always appreciate it, but leaving evidence of their lifestyle choices around when buyers are coming to view can put people off. 'One lady in a high rise in Westbourne Grove always used to leave her fetish gear in full view. Then there was the guy in Holland Park who left what I hope was a replica Glock 9mm handgun on his nightstand. The viewers flew out of that house.'
Taking your special interest and making it a part of the furnishings can also be problematic. This from an agent in Worchester: 'I saw this guy on TV who'd transformed his flat into a replica of the bridge of the starship Enterprise, and was looking to sell. I mean it was a stunning job, but you could probably count the number of people who'd want to buy it on one finger.'
Controversial this one. The agents were asked whether chopping a massive open plan loft space into clearly defined rooms and also taking a picturesque Cotswold cottage and refitting the innards to make it ultra contemporary would be detrimental to value.
'Actually you'd probably find they both gained in value,' commented Charles Seligman. 'Despite what the TV shows say about remaining sympathetic to the original design, it seems to be what people want. Of course it has to be done right.'
Which leads us onto...
Be it lumpy plastering, careless paintwork, or bodged plumbing, obvious signs of bad DIY will devalue your home according to our panel. 'It's a cumulative thing really,' sighs our Leeds based panellist. 'You might be able to get away with sloppy paintwork, but lots of careless remedial work will leave a potential buyer calculating how much it would cost to put right. They'll either want a reduction or they'll look elsewhere.'
Now this might come as a shock, but not everyone in the world is in love with your cuddly wuddly animal friends.
'Homes where pets have just run riot are a big turn off for buyers,' claims our Midlands panellist. 'Dog and cat smells can be really off putting, and I've seen properties where really big dogs have caused quite a lot of damage to the home. One big mountain dog had even chewed lumps out of wooden window ledges. Well that all has to be repaired, doesn't it?'
A South Yorkshire agent recalls how a vendors passion for poisonous pets almost cost him a great deal. 'This guy's black scorpion had done a runner just before a viewing. He didn't find it again until moving day. Can you imagine the legal bill he would have received if it had stung the new owner?'
Check out the mortgage calculator, loans, credit cards & savings comparison tools
Tell us about where you live, & see if your area makes the top (or bottom) 20
Compare current rates on loans, savings accounts, credit cards & mortgages with this handy tool.jpg){kind=small}
Our presenter could be popping round to your house for a consultation and a cuppa
Your Comments
Post your comment
Please note: In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in to Channel 4:
Sign In Here or Register Here
Comments closed
Comments are closed at the present time
Comments
Thank you for your comment!
Your message will be reviewed and the best ones will be published below.
If you intended to make an official comment to Channel 4 please contact us.