4 Major Turn-Offs for Prospective Home Buyers

If you’re trying to sell your home, you have a bit of a balancing act ahead of you. After all, you want to be able to still live in your home while also maintaining its appearance so that you can impress prospective buyers. Although prospective buyers may be willing to overlook certain aspects of a home that they’re interested in, there are a few problems that will be instant turn-offs.

Foul Odors

If a buyer walks through your front door and smells something amiss, they will be quick to walk back out the way they came. That’s why it’s important to deodorize your home before you put it on the market. If you have pets, smokers, or heavy perfumes in your home, you’ll want to take the time to clean carpets, drapes, furniture, and other surfaces where these odors could be lingering. While you can add light scents to help cover up any lingering odors, be sure not to do anything that could cause those with sensitive allergies to start sneezing.

The Wrong Temperature

A house that is excessively hot or cold will be a turn-off for potential buyers, and this is common as the seasons become more extreme. Even if it means you just didn’t turn on the heating before the viewing, buyers walk into a freezing or boiling room and their first instinct is to get out. Show them how comfortable their future home is by keeping your HVAC functional during viewings and take time to show off how well-maintained and up to date the appliance is. Have AC service and furnace services done before putting your home on the market so that you have nothing to hide and everything to show off when giving home viewings.

Bad Landscaping

You only get one chance to make a good first impression on a prospective buyer. In many cases, that first impression will be formed by your home’s landscaping. To put your best foot forward, it’s important to make sure that everything is properly trimmed and that mulch is spread in any flower beds. You can also add a few seasonal plants to help your buyers better picture themselves in your home.

Distracting Paint

While crazy and fun paint colors may represent your personality, they likely don’t capture the personality of prospective buyers. As difficult as it may be, it’s a wise choice to paint your home in neutral colors so that it can appeal to as many buyers as possible. This is important because having more buyers offers more potential for a bidding war that can mean more money in your pocket.

Overall, buyers want to be able to see themselves in your home. Therefore, as much as is possible, it’s important for you and your tastes to be out of sight and out of mind. The more that potential buyers can imagine themselves in your home, the sooner your home is likely to be sold.


Author Bio: Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure.