What would most put you off buying a house - vote in our poll

16 February 2024 , 14:39

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Around 62% of buyers would be put off by mould on the walls (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Buying a house can be a stressful experience, especially when you have to consider the catchment area, availability of public transport and the eye-watering expense.

It comes as no surprise that some undesirable aspects arguably matter more than others. The biggest features that would put off potential buyers are damp and mould on the walls (62%) and signs of a pest infection (57%), which could slash a staggering 20 percent off a property’s value.

The research from Hammonds found that other unwanted qualities include Japanese knotweed (48%), pet smells (37%), noisy neighbours (48%), being near a pub (32%), and pebble dash (25%).

Despite being considered an appealing attribute, swimming pools and hot tubs would be shunned by 10 percent of homeowners, while an area with bad phone signal would be frowned upon by 24 percent. What’s more, a garden topped the list of things people are willing to fork out on, with 45 percent of homebuyers looking for outside space.

A 'well-maintained' garden could add up to 25 percent on a house price, the study found. Around 15 percent said they would pay extra to be close to public transport, while 13 percent would hike their price if the house boasts an open-plan living room.

UK house prices fall again - down 3.2% from last year peak, says Nationwide

This comes as UK house prices fall for the sixth month in a row, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed. The typical house price in December 2023 was £285,000, marking a 1.4 percent decline over 12 months. Property values fell annually by 2.1 percent in England and by 2.5 percent in Wales.

However, house prices increased annually by 3.3 percent in Scotland and by 1.4 percent in Northern Ireland. Aimee North, head of housing market indices at the ONS, said: "Our initial estimate of UK house prices shows another annual fall in December, however the pace of decrease has slowed since the previous month.

"Our latest figures also show a return to annual price growth for two English regions: the North West and West Midlands." As property prices start to marginally dip across the UK, we want to know what would most put you off buying a house. Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.

The Mirror will also be discussing the topic with you in the comments section below and you can join in! All you have to do is sign up, submit your comment, register your details and then you can take part.

Freya Hodgson