First-time buyers could be missing out on their dream home by failing to compromise on small cosmetic house renovations when viewing a property.
Despite the popularity of DIY programmes such as 60 Minute Makeover and DIY SOS, the majority of buyers are failing to look beyond easily rectified problems such as bad smells or a stained carpet when selecting a property.
According to a new survey from Principality Building Society, over half of us (54%) would be put off buying our dream home if there’s a whiff of a bad smell.
Nearly a third of us (30%) would give up the opportunity to own our dream house if it had stains on the walls, while a carpet with a dirty mark deter a quarter of us (25%) from putting down that deposit.
The survey, which questioned over 2,000 people, found that general dirt in the home would put a quarter (25%) of first-time buyers off buying a house even though it is something that can be easily fixed.
Principality Building Society’s customer director Julie-Ann Haines said: “With so many first time buyers hopeful to get on the housing ladder, as a nation we need to look past the decorative issues a house might have and see its true potential.
“So many of us are avid watchers of home makeover programmes and pick up great DIY tips along the way, but why are we leaving the learning on the sofa and not applying the tricks of the trade to our own home buying process?
“First-time buyers shouldn’t worry about carpet stains or bad smells which can be easily cleaned or removed at an affordable price, but see beyond the décor which might not be to your taste anyway. After all, our own personal touches are really what make our house a home.”
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