WHEN it comes to selling your home there are so many improvements you can make to ensure you get top dollar for your property.
However there are also some incredibly basic mistakes people make that instantly put off prospective buyers too – and they're actually very simple errors.
The top five "icks" putting Brits off buying potential properties have now been revealed in a recent survey by Conservatory Land.
Additionally, one fifth of buyers admit they wouldn't feel confident they would be able to see past these turn offs to appreciate a property's true potential.
Here, property expert Natalie Mitchell from HomeHow reveals how to overcome the five most off-putting 'icks'…
Weird whiffs
The UK's biggest interior turn off is a weird, lingering smell.
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Natalie says: "Waste and food spillages can make your bins smell bad.
"To freshen up your bins, give them a good thorough wash with some warm soapy water.
"To prevent future smells, put some cat litter at the bottom of the bin or place a few citrus peels there before placing the bin bag in it.
"Also ensure your fridge is clean, as this can be one of the main sources of smells.
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"Use an opened box of non-toxic baking soda and leave this in the fridge to help soak up any bad odours.
"Your sink or drains may also start to smell if they become slightly clogged – put some drain unblocking solution down the drain and leave this overnight. Then, rinse it thoroughly.
"You can also boil a solution of white vinegar and water for around 15 minutes to help neutralise odours.
"Place some small bowls of vinegar around the home to help deodorise each room while you sleep.
"Use plug-in air fresheners to help promote positive smells around the home.
"Spray fabrics, rugs, and carpets with a fabric freshener to ensure musty smells are covered up."
Cracking up
The next pet peeve for prospective property buyers is cracked flooring.
Natalie says: "Paint over hairline cracks to improve their appearance and hide the crack.
"For larger cracks, try making use of rugs or move your furniture around a touch to help hide the cracks.
"If you have small chips or cracks in the floor, nail varnish can help.
"Use a small amount of nail varnish In the same colour as the tile and paint into the crack or chip.
"If you have larger chips or cracks, apply some ceramic filler.
"If your floors are quite badly cracked, it may be worth considering getting a new floor installed.
"You don’t have to worry about spending too much on the new floor just as long as it looks attractive enough to prospective buyers."
Stained surfaces
If you have a stain on a wooden surface, clean it with soapy water and remove any dirt, dust, or cobwebs.
Natalie says: "To dull the stain, lightly sand the surface with some fine sandpaper.
"Be sure to move in the direction of the grain. Wipe away any of the dust from the sanding process.
"Dip a rag in some deglosser and wipe the surface before allowing it to dry.
"Repair any scratches or holes with wood filler and then sand again to create a smooth surface.
"Brush on some primer and allow it to dry. Then, paint over the wood and allow it to dry.
"If your table or another piece of furniture is stained and you don’t want to go to the effort of repainting it, you can make use of things like table runners or table cloths to hide the stains.
"Homes with children may commonly experience crayon stains.
"Luckily, these are quite simple to remove. Just gently scrape away the crayon marks and then wipe the surface down with a damp cloth."
Pet peeve
While we love them and can't live without them, your pet could actually knock five percent off your home value so it's worth investing a little extra time getting rid of that cat hair or dog smell.
Natalie says: "If your vacuum cleaner isn't picking up all of the pet hairs in your home, use a long-handled squeegee on your carpet.
"Move the squeegee back and forth across your carpet to loosen any stubborn hairs, and then pick up all of the clumps of hair.
"Make use of lint rollers on your upholstery items to clean up any stuck pet hairs on things like the sofa, cushions, and blankets.
"Keep on top of vacuuming at least a couple of times each week to ensure the pet hair doesn't have a chance to accumulate."
Personal clutter
Research has shown that a cluttered or messy home could decrease in value by around 10 per cent.
This is because a messy, cluttered home tends to look smaller and less attractive and so this will affect the amount that people are willing to pay for the property.
Cut the clutter
Natalie’s clever little tips that can help you hide your personal clutter:
- Close off a cluttered space with a curtain
- Hide your clutter in enclosed pieces of furniture
- Save gift boxes for storing small items
- Store items in unused spaces such as the garage or loft
- Look for pieces of furniture that double up as storage, such as a storage bed
- Hide clutter away in cupboards or drawers
- Offload some of your clutter by putting it in a storage unit or asking family or friends if you can store some things at their property for the time being.
Loud colours
People may also be put off by bright colours or bold wallpaper.
Natalie says: "Consider painting walls a neutral colour such as white or cream.
"Similarly, if you have bright carpets in your home, consider replacing them with a more neutral carpet or something different such as wooden or vinyl floors.
"Bright and bold colouring for things such as curtains and couch cushions may also be a negative as these may draw the eye and make the room appear smaller.
"In these cases, try replacing them with more neutral tones or remove them completely if you want to really open up the space."
Small windows
Finally, if your home has small windows, there are several things that you can do to make them appear larger and appeal more to people who come to view your property.
Natalie says: "Firstly, you’ll want to maximise the natural light that flows into the room.
"Opt for light-coloured or sheer curtains that will allow the natural light to shine through them.
"Mirrors will help to reflect any natural light coming in throughout the room.
"You can also manipulate the height and width of your windows. You can manipulate the length by making use of floor to ceiling curtains. Install the curtain rod at the junction where your wall meets your ceiling and choose long curtains.
"You can also manipulate the width by using a longer curtain rod."
While they may seem like small details, following this advice could make you thousands.
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Natalie adds: "Following this advice can help you to get the maximum possible value for your home.
"If you choose to leave these issues untreated, you may end up losing more money off the value of the sale."
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