Picky Brits decide before they reach the front door of potential new homes
When it comes to viewing a house, first impressions really do count. Nearly two thirds of Brits admit to judging possible new homes purely on ‘kerb appeal’ – making up their minds on whether to buy before even stepping foot through the door, according to the research by The Wood Window Alliance.
In an increasingly ruthless housing market, British house-hunters are jumping in with rash decision-making to beat the competition. If a potential house-buyer does make it through the front door, a staggering 50% will have made a decision on a property within less than five minutes. Only 7% of us are choosy enough to spend more than 30 minutes before making up our mind.
Snobby prospective buyers can even be instantly turned-off a new home just by its windows. Even though the majority of those surveyed (65.9%) have modern PVC-U windows installed, surprisingly 1 in 5 believe PVC-U windows are tacky or chavvy. And make sure there’s no mould visible, as 43% admit that mould - particularly on windows frames - can be a total deal breaker.
Perhaps most worrying for sellers, potential buyers don’t just focus their kerb appeal judgements on the house in question. However much time you spend sprucing up your house for an easy sale, it could be out of your hands, as messy people next door are the nation’s biggest turn off when house-hunting. A third of us have even admitted to being put off by an unkempt lawn, yet surprisingly garden gnomes, toys in the garden and streetlights outside the window don’t impact our decision.
Sean Parnaby, of The Wood Window Alliance commented: “With so many of us making a decision on a house before even getting through the door, it really is important to ensure that a property has kerb appeal. Maintaining windows and doors, and taking pride in the overall appearance of the exterior of a property has never been more important. Wood windows, especially for period homes, can have a big impact on the design and feel of a property, and increase the value significantly too. So it’s a worthwhile investment considering the negative views Brits have on PVC-U! “