How does disrepair impact your property sale?
Throughout the selling process, buyers are looking to assess the extent of the work needed to fix your home to their own standard of living, working out the time and money they may need to invest.
Whilst there are plenty of home hunters out there looking for their next project to tackle, many more will be looking for something that requires minimal fuss.
So, which home repairs can be the biggest deal breakers for buyers?
As the main cause behind serious structural issues, it’s no surprise that damp ranks as the highest turn-off according to research.*
Keeping your house well ventilated in every season is crucial to safeguarding your investments, and with 63% put off by bad smells from pets or cigarettes, it’s also worth purchasing diffusers before any viewings to keep your house smelling and looking at its best.
Having a messy garden also made the list, with 48% of people saying that it would put them off buying a property, as well as outdated electrics and poor natural lighting.
Aside from making any significant changes to the number of windows or doors in your property, the simplest way to increase the amount of light in your home is to eliminate any dark corners with warm lamps, giving the space the illusion of natural light.
Outdated electrics can be costly and time-consuming for buyers to update. So, if you’re looking for a quick sale, it might be worth getting any major issues fixed before viewings start to avoid a lengthy period on the market.
If you’ve completed any renovations or refurbishments since moving in, you should consider learning your home’s current market value. Book your valuation today.
*GoCompare
This article was originally published by BriefYourMarket and is reproduced here with their permission.
For more company news and insights from Pygott & Crone, click here








Latest news

The autumn deadline student tenants need on their radar
The autumn deadline student tenants need on their radar Most of the changes introduced by the Renters' Rights Act on 1 May 2026 work in tenants' favour: stronger security of tenure, no more no-fault evictions, and the freedom to leave at any point with two months' written notice.

What your landlord must do with your deposit, and by when
What your landlord must do with your deposit, and by when When you hand over a deposit at the start of a private tenancy in England or Wales, the law sets out precisely what your landlord must do with it and when.

Why first-time buyers pay wildly different stamp duty depending on where they buy
Why first-time buyers pay wildly different stamp duty depending on where they buy First-time buyers in England start from the same point on paper: a stamp duty relief threshold that means no tax is paid on the first £300,000 of a purchase price.

Three heatwaves, three dips, one resilient buyer market
Three heatwaves, three dips, one resilient buyer market The summer of 2026 tested the UK property market with an unusual combination of pressures: three separate heatwaves, a World Cup, a period of political uncertainty, and elevated mortgage rates following the conflict in Iran.