Seven surprising impacts on the value of your home

Article written by Ben Johnson at Yopa, our preferred independent real estate agents.

This article is not intended to be financial advice to any individual. The views expressed are those of the author and Moneyfactscompare.co.uk does not endorse the content.

Most of us know that the value of a home is affected by its size, location, and condition, but there are some more unexpected factors at play too. From the quality of your nearest drinking hole to the toys strewn on your child’s bedroom floor, there are a few things that can have a surprisingly big impact on your home’s selling price.

According to ING Direct, a messy kid’s bedroom can knock as much as £8,000 off the perceived value of the average home. This is because clutter could make a room look smaller, limiting the potential in your property.

Research by Zoopla found ‘Warrens’ are the priciest types of street names – with houses fetching up to £607,267, more than double the national average of £282,978. ‘Streets’ are much cheaper, at an average of £184,722. As for the other half of the name, ‘Kings’ are 20 per cent costlier than ‘Queens’.

A Zoopla study revealed that, on average, odd-numbered houses fetched £538 more than even-numbered equivalents.

In addition, if you own a number 13 (deliberately missed out on Downing Street and others) your home is likely to sell for £6,500 less than its neighbours. 

Most of the 39% of people who own a dog or cat in the UK will have no pet-related issues selling their house. However, if your pets are intimidating, smelly or there are just too many of them, that could cost you dearly, knocking up to 5% off the asking price.

A noisy, rowdy drinking hole with customers spilling out on to the pavements every night can really put potential buyers off and have a negative impact on your house price. Equally, a lovely local pub with craft ale and a delectable line in homemade pies is a major plus. Similarly, the ‘Waitrose effect’ is a real thing – a report by Lloyds Bank suggested an upscale supermarket can add 12% or £40,000 to the average property.

You might completely adore that jacquard wallpaper, but does everyone else? Perceived ‘bad taste can knock 5-10% off the value, according to experts. If your main purpose is to sell your home for the highest possible return, stick to relatively neutral, non-offensive decor. That way potential buyers can visualise putting their own stamp on the place.

No matter how well-heeled an area, how good the schools and how lovely the local pub, disputes with neighbours can have a terrifying impact on prices.

An estimated one in five homeowners will encounter serious problems with neighbours, whether it’s arguments over noise and territory or just living next door to people with anti-social habits or behaviour. A survey by Halifax Home Insurance suggested this can shave up to £31,000 off the price of the average property. Before exchanging, talk to the seller about the neighbours and try to get a feel for the area. You can also contact the local council to see if any disputes have been recorded.

Are you ready to see how much your home could be worth? Book your free property valuation here. 

For more information on the fees for selling your property through Yopa, visit their page here.