Boost your home for spring

Spring is, without a doubt, one of the most popular times in the UK for house buyers to begin hunting. So, with that in mind, we thought we’d do a little digging and find out what features our buyers are keeping a keen eye out for. From private gardens to brand new kitchens, there are several tempting home features that are sure to lure in plenty of interest and ensure your home doesn’t stay on the market very long!

Find out from our experts exactly what changes you can make to give your property a much-needed facelift in time to hit the housing market and consider our advice on how to implement the top 10 features into your home to make it truly irresistible.

Top 10 home features that buyers love

Our research found that there are some appealing aspects of homes that buyers love to see, and that make them more likely to buy a home! The features Brits find most attractive when viewing a property include:

Private outdoor space (52%): More than half of those surveyed found private outdoor space to be the most attractive feature when looking for a new home. If you’re working with just a patio or a gravel outdoor area, try adding potted plants. If you do have a garden, but you’re not blessed with much privacy, you can try adding fencing, hedges, trees, and tall flowers to the far-reaching areas – both optimising the space and maintaining an enclosed feel, perfect for hosting garden parties.
New kitchen (51%): Again, more than half of those surveyed claimed a new kitchen was what they look for most when viewing a property - If you haven’t the funds to refurbish your entire kitchen or bathroom before you sell, there are still things you can do to give your space a well-needed touch-up. A fresh lick of paint or brand new kitchen flooring will help spruce up the space, or you could add stick-on vinyl tiles or to your kitchen or bathroom to help modernise. Check for any rust or mould and ensure this is sorted before viewings too.
New bathroom (42%): A further two in five found a new bathroom to be the most appealing feature of a prospective home. You may not have the time or money to fork out for a new bathroom right away, especially with expected wait time for bathrooms at an all-time high but giving the walls some fresh paint, replacing the bathroom flooring, and using special cleaners to get rid of any mould spots and stains is a great step towards getting your bathroom in good shape.
Natural daylight (42%): Natural daylight came in the fourth position, with 42% of buyers claiming this is the most appealing factor when viewing a home. You can’t always control how much daylight your home receives, but with the right decorations, wall colours and flooring, you can optimise the space and natural light. Try adding large mirrors to reflect daylight around the room, and choose light, breezy colours for your floor. Choose walls without too much pattern.
Clean and tidy home (28%): A feature that may seem obvious but shouldn’t be ignored is ensuring your home is well presented, clean, and tidy - over a quarter of survey participants agreed that unnecessary mess and clutter turns them off a house! Ensuring your home is tidy before opening it up for viewings is crucial.
Nicely decorated (26%): Over a quarter of respondents claimed nice decorations are appealing when viewing a property, so be sure to invest in some lamps, curtains, side tables and ornaments – either keep them neutral or opt for things you think reflect your home’s personality.
Freshly painted walls (20%): A fifth of respondents claimed that freshly painted walls without stains or marks and a clean finish made it easier for them to imagine putting their stamp on the property.
Neutral colours (19%): Similar to the above, our respondents claimed that neutral colours were another great addition to help them better-visualise their thoughts for the space. Try neutral traditional oak floors, beige vinyl tiles, or monotonal vinyl tiles.
New flooring (15%): 15% claimed new flooring makes a home most appealing to them, but if you can’t feasibly get new floors, a good rug can tie a room together nicely and really change the space. You can even create your own bespoke rug from your favourite carpet with a carpet whipping service.
Modern appliances (12%): New appliances are also an attractive feature when viewing a property, according to our respondents. So, if your oven is in dire need of an upgrade, get yourself down to your local hardware store to start looking for a replacement!

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Features you should try to fix before viewings begin

In contrast, here are the top five ‘turn offs’ house buyers notice when viewing a property – so try to rectify these before viewings if you can:

A lot of work needs doing to the property (45%) – get your DIY hat on or get in touch with some friends and family who can give you a hand around the house in the weeks before you put it on the market. It will benefit you greatly to put in a little work and money now so that buyers can see the potential of the house.
A lot of external noise pollution (43%) – invest in double glazing, sound dampening carpets and a good underlay to keep noise pollution at bay, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes!
Unsightly surroundings in eye view of the property (36%) – get in touch with your local councillor or speak with neighbours about unsightly surroundings outside your house, to ensure that prospective buyers don’t have their visit ruined by a skip on the road or untrimmed bushes.
An old kitchen that needs replacing (28%) – an old kitchen can be quickly updated with new door knobs, fresh paint, and fresh tiling, all of which can be affordably done yourself. Investing in new flooring (tiles, laminate flooring, vinyl) can also make a big change - just take a look at these modern kitchen flooring ideas.
Having to completely redecorate (22%) – if your property is in dire need of a top-to-bottom shake-up, then painting the walls white and ensuring the floors are clean and free of clutter will present prospective buyers with a fresh slate from which they can imagine their own dream home

Johanna Constantinou, our Brand and Communications Director, says: “With the surge of springtime property buyers just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start making changes in your home to ensure your property has the best chance possible when it comes to market. From new flooring to cleaning the space and modernising it, we hope our tips will help sellers make their home more attractive to buyers.”

If you need any help to improve your property’s flooring, come on down to your local Tapi store to speak to one of our flooring experts, or book a free at-home visit for us to come to you! Alternatively, you can also explore our ideas hub for even more home inspiration.

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