There are many things that could reduce the value of your property, some are obvious but others are not so apparent. We all want to get the best out of our property whether it's an investment property or our long-term home. If you're going to spend a large amount of money on it then it would be wise to consider what to look for and what to avoid. One of the first things that people notice, depending on what time of day they go to the area where the property is, is the number of kids, youths that hang around the streets and what they are doing and how they are acting/behaving.

Things that will decrease the value of your property

This can really put someone off and make them not want to buy. Plus even if there’s no one on the street but they notice broken cars, rubbish on the street, boarded up windows etc it's not a pleasant view and it does not incite a feeling of comfort. If there are properties nearby that are going through repossession, it can be unsightly, as they are left empty and unkept for long periods of time. Empty properties also attract squatters who create even more mess and bring problems such as drugs into the neighbourhood. Even though this has nothing to do with the property itself it can considerably reduce its attraction and value.

The road may be quiet but there are still factors to consider that indirectly or even directly affect its price. There is surprisingly a sort of snobbery happening with how an address ends. For example, people prefer Boulevard over Avenue or Place over Drive. I guess suffixes such as Street bring up negative connotations of an area and one starts to stereotype about the type of tenants or homeowners that may reside there. So if your property is in Paul’s Street or Dale End or even Denvile Park then you may not get back what you paid for it.

Thought must also be given to the types of vocation and businesses that are in operation within the vicinity. Do these facilities attract traffic and large groups of individuals who may cause a nuisance? Is there a power plant nearby that may affect your health in the long term? Most people don’t like to live close to hospitals, as they can get very busy and noisy and with a lot of flashing lights coming from emergency services vehicles can be off-putting. If there is a strip club or a homeless shelter in juxtaposition then you may want to think about renting the property out as not many families would want to live there.

The above are all factors that are out of your control and unless you start a campaign there's not much you can do about it. However, there are areas that you can control for example one of the first things people will notice is how the front of your property looks. If the paint is coming off and windows don't look clean or there's rubbish out in the front garden then this can be very distracting and not in the good way either. This may sound obvious but many people seem to forget the evident. Also try not to get too extravagant with the choice of colour you use, as bright pink exterior walls can make people look the other way.

Something that a lot of people look for is a garage, if it's big enough for their car then great but if not then that's ok too because they will use it as storage space. So that is a good thing, however, if you convert it into another room or a lads room then this can reduce the value of the property. If you are thinking about converting your garage then it would be a good idea to create something that isn’t too difficult to convert back into a garage. When people come to view they just see more work and more expense and not opportunity.

Are there any jobs around the house that need doing? Does the plumbing need looking at? Are there any tiles that are out of place and need replacing? Are the gutters hanging off or clogged with leaves? If so then it would be better to get these areas amongst others looked at. The house needs to be presented in a way that shows its best qualities with minimal defects that will need to be repaired by its new owners. Whenever anyone views a property they are naturally looking for what is wrong with it and for any damage that they will need to spend money on to fix. Plus as an advantage point, to offer a lower amount for the property.

Everyone has their own taste in colours, furniture and fixtures and fittings. Some people like dark colours and have an air of mystery whereas others prefer more light and airy spaces, with all the other people in between. House decorations are like pizza toppings, not everyone wants a vegetarian or pineapple pizza. If people see that they have to do more work than necessary then this will put them off. Sometimes people don't see the value past the decor as it may be overpowering and distort their judgment. So if you have 1970’s decoration and you're selling to a 21st century family then the chances of them offering the full value of the house is nil if at all.

Nowadays people don’t have time to clean up and prefer properties to be set up in a way that is easy to clean. Therefore a property that has carpet in every room may put off potential buyers as it takes more time and effort to clean and after some time will start to have stain’s in it which are even harder to clean. Plus, when they have families and friends around there is a chance there may be spillage or food dropping which will be difficult to clean up after. So a property with more floor boards is more appealing and will not affect the house value.

These are just some of the things to take into consideration and this is not an exhaustive list of factors that reduce the value of a house. Not everyone can see the property for what it’s actually worth by looking past the cosmetic appearance of it. The best way to present any property is free from any personal touches, clean and repair any damage that you are able to before anyone comes to see it.

Things That Will Decrease The Value Of Your Property