Top 10 ways to scare buyers off your house

All homebuyers are looking for something different, but there is one thing that is common to them all - they'll often turn around and walk back out your door if they notice one or more of these problems.

If you really want to sell your house, make sure it's free and clear of the top 10 things that discourage buyers.

1. Odours
The way your house smells is the first thing visitors will notice and cigarette smoke, pets, mildew and last night’s meal are the worst offenders.

Covering up the odours is often not enough - you need to eradicate them so that your house has a clean, fresh atmosphere. Shampoo the carpets and wash the curtains, cushion covers and bed linen. Open the windows and doors to allow plenty of ventilation.
Nevertheless, baking a cake on open day is always a good idea, as it has an instant “mmmm…” effect.

2. Dogs that meet you at the door
Dogs and open houses do not mix. Fido might frighten or annoy buyers, even if you know he is the sweetest animal around. Likewise, some people are allergic to cats and won’t be charmed by your moggie lounging on the furniture.

If possible, remove pets while your house is open for inspection. Take the dog for a walk, keep the cat outside or in a carrier basket, put a cover over the bird-cage and get the kids to take the ferret to their friend’s house for the day!

3. Dimly Lit Rooms
Few homebuyers in Australia are looking to live in a dark house. Besides that, they will want to be able to see what the house looks like “in the daylight”. Make sure your house is shown to its best advantage by cleaning the windows and opening curtains and blinds.

Replace dim or broken light fittings and turn on lamps in the sitting room or bedrooms. You might even consider repainting some rooms with light-reflecting colours or trimming trees that shadow the house.

4. Dirty Bathrooms
Dirty bathrooms are an instant turnoff. Scrub them, paint them, and replace some tiles if necessary. Matching (fluffy) towels, clean mirrors and a new shower curtain will make even the dingiest bathroom sparkle.

5. Clutter
Leaving your house untidy might make it look “lived in”, but it’s your stuff, not necessarily something the buyers will relate to. They need to be able to picture themselves in the space.
Remove the kids’ toys, the newspapers you were reading and the clothes your teenager left on the floor, and replace them with a bowl of fruit or a vase of flowers – nothing else. Clear shelves and other surfaces to a minimum - just enough to make them look good, but not overwhelming.

6. Damp
Any signs of moisture, mould or even damp smells in the house throw up a red flag to buyers.
If you have leaks, fix them. Mould on walls can be cleaned off with a mixture of bleach and detergent. Look for peeling paint in the bathroom as this indicates excessive moisture and lack of ventilation and signals future problems to the prospective owner.

7. Bugs
No-one wants to live with spiders, cockroaches, ants or any other type of insect that shouldn't be in the house. Get rid of them and any evidence that they’ve ever been there (such as spider webs). Ant piles in the lawn are also a deterrent, as they are indicative of a greater problem.

8. Unappealing frontage
Unless you were looking for a place to renovate, would you bother walking into a house that looked like a junkyard? Buyers won’t expect to pay top dollar for a house with a messy yard, sagging doors or peeling paint. Clean up the yard, plant some flowers and fix the obvious signs of neglect on the exterior of the house.

9. Messy Gutters
Gutters with plants growing in them or rusty broken bits hanging down will make buyers wonder what other maintenance tasks have been neglected. Imagine how it will look if it rains on open day and your gutters overflow because you haven’t cleaned them in years…

10. Sellers Who Hang Around
Go to the beach, have coffee with a friend, do some shopping – but be out of the house when it is open for inspection. Homebuyers feel awkward about opening cupboards and lingering for a really good look at the house if the seller is there. They will also ask more questions and clarify issues if they are talking to an agent rather than the owner.