By Sarah Macklin 
Trying to sell your home? Selling can be a minefield. You tidy your home for each viewing, make yourself scarce so the estate agent can show buyers around and then wait patiently for an offer or feedback.
At first, you may be inundated with enquiries and viewings, but these may start to thin out the longer your home is on the market.
If this is the case, there may be a reason for it. There are tons of things that can put off prospective buyers and these could be the flags that are stopping any offers coming in. But what might these be?
Tim Leonard, personal finance expert at NerdWallet, has shared eight red flags that could reduce the likelihood of potential buyers making an offer on your property.
Red flag 1: Bad smells
A bad smell is going to be the first thing that hits people when they walk through the door. Before they’ve even had a chance to determine whether they like the look of the entrance hall, the smell might put them off. It could be musty, smokey, caused by pets (wet dog or cat litter trays), or something else entirely. Whatever it is, it won’t go down well with potential buyers.
Tim recommends: “If viewings will be carried out in person, it’s worth deep cleaning your home to get rid of any stale smells at the source. It can also be beneficial to use air fresheners and other pleasantly smelling scents like room sprays or candles, if you think there are sources of bad smells. And don’t underestimate the power of opening a couple of windows to let fresh air circulate.
“A fresh and pleasantly smelling home will create an inviting environment from the moment a potential buyer steps through your front door and gives a good first impression from the start.”
Some people have suggested that you can sell your home faster if it smells like freshly-baked cookies or cake, so perhaps you should get baking on the morning of a viewing!
Red flag 2: Lack of kerb appeal
What would your first impressions be of the outside of your home if you were a potential buyer? Spend a bit of time trying to see through their eyes. Perhaps you might notice the weeds peeping through the block paving, the peeling front door, rubbish bins that are parked at the front of the house, etc. Overall, does the front of the house and the driveway/garden look attractive to you?
If the answer is no, you may want to spend a bit of time improving the kerb appeal, and this might not be as much effort as you first think.
Tim suggests: “Make sure leaves are swept up, any litter is removed, weeds and overgrown plants are tended to, and your front door is clean and tidy. If you have some money to spare, investing in a couple of plants can make a world of difference and instantly give a good first impression – which could increase the likelihood of a viewer putting in an offer.”
You might also want to spruce up your garden to improve its value too.
Red flag 3: A lack of photos
In order to get viewings, people need to be impressed straight away. And the first place they will see your house is Rightmove (or potentially on an estate agent’s website). If your Rightmove photos are poor quality, dark or simply don’t show the space properly, buyers will be instantly put off.
This is why it’s so important to ensure the house is presented as well as it possibly can be. The home should be clutter-free when the photographs are taken, and they should ideally be taken by a professional.
Tim says: “Most people’s first impressions of a property are through photos online – and usually on a mobile phone. Make sure your photos are good quality, are well-lit, and showcase your home in its best light – i.e. are clutter free. Bad quality photos could put off potential buyers from even stepping through your door.”
You will also want to make sure you have photos of every space – front driveway, back garden, all the bedrooms, etc. Missing photos may make potential buyers wonder if there’s a problem.
Red flag 4: Clutter
Clutter is so, so off putting. Buyers really struggle to look past it and see the space in its entirety. They may struggle to picture themselves living in the house, too, or imagine how the space can work for them. Clutter can be anything from clothes and possessions to rubbish, and even too much furniture crammed into a small area.
Tim advises: “Less is more when it comes to selling a house. If a potential buyer sees it, ensure to keep photos, ornaments and personal items on display to a minimum. Too much of this can make the place seem smaller and the buyer might not be able to see past this.”
Red flag 5: Sellers giving a tour
With more ‘online’ estate agents, like Strike and PurpleBricks, more sellers are showing potential buyers around the property, however try to avoid this if you can. As it’s your home, you may think you are the best person to show them around, but it can turn buyers off and they may not feel able to ask questions like they would with an estate agent.
Tim says: “It can make buyers feel uncomfortable and make them rush around the property, resulting in them not taking much interest. Usually it’s best to let estate agents show prospective buyers around, as they are trained in viewings and can point out the property’s best features, making the place much more appealing.”
Red flag 6: Temperature
A chilly house or a very hot house can potentially make a bad impression. You should do your best to ensure the temperature is just right for the viewing. In winter, set your heating to around 20 degrees. In summer, keep curtains and blinds closed in the morning and open them prior to the viewing to ensure the house doesn’t heat up too much.
Tim explains: “The optimum level of comfort in regards to temperature can help avoid bad impressions, and also questions about whether the heating system works properly.”
Red flag 7: A poor quality boiler
When buyers are looking at a house, they want to feel confident that everything is in good working order. No one wants to spend thousands moving only for their boiler to breakdown within a few months of living them. They need to feel confident that they’re not going to be let down by a broken, old and inefficient heating system during the winter months.
Tim suggests: “If you want to sell your home, it might be worth considering upgrading a failing boiler to a newer and more efficient model to assure buyers that the heating system won’t let them down for years to come.”
Red flag 8: Damp
The final red flag is probably something no one wants to see in their home: damp.
Damp can be caused by all sorts of things, making it hard to get rid of, and the signs of it can linger for a long time. It can suggest a problem with the roof/guttering, may be coming from the ground up, or might even be down to high moisture levels.
Tim says: “Damp is probably the biggest turn off when a potential buyer is viewing a property. If there is damp anywhere, it should be properly treated. Fail to address the issue and it is not only likely to reduce buyer interest, but could also come back to haunt you on a survey.”
