We may be a nation of animal lovers, but new research has found that having a pet could not only put off potential homebuyers when you want to sell your house, but also devalue your home by as much as £11,000.
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Estate and lettings agent, Barrows and Forrester, revealed that evidence of pets is one of the five biggest homebuyer turn-offs, particularly when it comes to seeing pet hair in the carpets and strong odours in the air from animals.
© Photo: AlamyHaving a pet could reduce the value of your home by £11,000
They could reduce their perceived value of a home by 4 percent, or £11,000, so it is well worth having a deep clean of carpets and soft furnishings before putting your home on the market to eliminate any signs of your four-legged friends.
Cleanliness is a big focus for homebuyers, and the agents recommend opening windows for a few hours prior to any viewings to eliminate any odours, as well as tidying and decluttering. Not doing so could knock as much as 11 percent off the potential market value, or £11,000.
© Photo: AlamyPoor upkeep of a property's exterior and garden is another big turn-off
You'll want to tidy up outside while you're at it too, as poor upkeep of a property's exterior and garden has been found to be another big turn-off. The research found that general disrepair and shoddy appearance have a huge impact on first impressions, completely putting off a buyer before they’ve even stepped inside the property.
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Tidying up the exterior of your home may be as easy as touching up damaged paintwork and cleaning any patio areas, and it could pay dividends. If the garden is overgrown or being used as a dump site, buyers are likely to already have a negative opinion of the home before they’ve even stepped foot inside it, and such is the power of this turn-off that it can reduce the value of a home by more than 14%, or £38,600.
Two things sellers may not have as much control over are parking problems, which could devalue a property by as much as £22,500, and nuisance neighbours, who could lower the asking price by at least ten percent – around £27,376 based on the current average house price.
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