What can devalue your home?

You often see articles on how to increase the value of your home and rightly so because it’s a very important topic. Have you ever thought about factors that could contribute to a reduction in the value of your home? This week’s blog checks out some of those factors to make sure you can keep on top of them.

Noisy neighbours – It’s always good to get on with your neighbours but did you know that not getting on with neighbours can actually impact the value of your home! Disputes over noise or territory will leave potential buyers with reason to pay less for your home. This type of activity is rare however you can contact the local council to check if any neighbourhood disputes have been recorded.

Lack of parking – Parking spaces can be a very valuable asset to a property. Did you know they can add up to £50,000 on to the value of a property in certain urban areas. With this in mind, think twice about the possibility of getting rid of your parking space.

Pets – It’s important to stress that pets don’t usually impact the value of your home so there’s no need to panic! Pets CAN have an impact on the value of your home if they have extremely poor hygiene so it’s important to stay on top of things in terms of correct house training, grooming and sorting out those mucky paws. So, there’s no reason to get rid of Mr. Whiskers, just make sure he’s well looked after!

Performance of schools – It’s a well-known fact that high performing schools help to push up the value of a property. It’s often forgotten that this works both ways. School’s with low OFSTED scores will do your properties value no favours. Make sure you keep up to date with the performances of local schools to ensure your home doesn’t end up with a bad report card!

Poor curb appeal – Curb appeal is the attractiveness of the exterior of your home. If you don’t keep on top of this then it provides a poor first impression for your property. This poor first impression can have a negative impact on the value of your home. Make sure paint stays fresh, gates stay functioning and grass stays cut.

Removing period features – You may not like the period features your home offers e.g. a grand fireplace but think twice about replacing with modern features. Period character is often at the top of many buyers wish lists so it’s important to offer this if you can.

To find out the value of your home, use our free online valuation tool. It only takes 60 seconds to find out: CLICK HERE