Is it you or the dog that is offending viewers?

Kirsty Mcluckie looks at the biggest property turn-offs

hat are the most offputting traits of a property – those aspects which are most likely to dissuade wouldbe buyers from making an offer?

I can’t help feeling that serious structural defects such as a distinct whiff of damp, sagging ceilings or cracks in the walls might cause most of us to think twice, but if you are looking for a project, maybe such features would fill your heart with glee.

Being married to a structural engineer has its uses in such cases.

A few years back I was enthused to find an idyllic cottage in a sought-after conservation village which was – incredibly – priced within our meagre budget.

We got as far as viewing but my husband somewhat dampened my excitement by pointing out the whole of the back of the property, which was leaning alarmingly into an adjacent river and held up only by a tapestry of scaffolding, could not be remedied by a little light plastering.

My pleas that in such a pretty cottage these details could surely be fixed fortunately fell on the deaf ears of my more sensible other half.

A survey out this week has listed the top ten property turn-offs, according to house viewers, and surprisingly major subsidence is nowhere to be seen.

Instead on the list are problems such as dirty rooms, the knowledge that someone had passed away in the property, and evidence of dog ownership.

To my mind such results show a marked lack of imagination.

Poor hygiene is easily remedied and if you can envisage the property in a clean state, it could give you the edge when it comes to competing with more fastidious buyers.

Anyone who has ever lived in an older property must know the likelihood of previous occupants breathing their last in one of its well-appointed rooms.

Taking an optimistic view, you could see it as a sign of a full life well lived rather than blame the property for the demise.

And evidence of dog ownership, while I understand it might be off-putting to those who aren’t enthusiastic about canine companions, to me speaks of a house that has been a home to all members of the family.

Rachel Richards of online blinds retailer www.web-blinds.com, which commissioned the survey, says: “We all know that you’re more likely to get a better deal with a house that needs some TLC and modernisation work.

“What you might not realise is that buyers can also secure a saving if the seller has a dog.”

Savvy property hunters looking to secure their next home for a good price should perhaps search out such defects.

Overgrown gardens and old-fashioned carpets are easily remedied, while another of the listed turnoffs in the survey – that the current owners are strange or undesirable – presumably would cease to be a feature of the house once contracts were exchanged.

Asked to list the most appealing aspects of a potential new home, however, the answers were equally mixed.

Open-plan family spaces and stand-alone bathtubs impressed but 18 per cent of respondents thought that “attractive neighbours” were a plus.

Perhaps if we want to get the best price when selling, we should forget decluttering and repainting. If you want to impress viewers, send the dog to kennels and invest in a makeover for the folk next door.