What things would seriously put you off buying a property?

SternMusik

No hallway
No space for coats and shoes
General lack of storage space
Insufficient insulation/no potential to insulate the property
Storage heaters
No bath, and no space to put one in
Being on a narrow, built-up road with no trees
Shared access (unless it's a flat, of course)
Dody neighbours
Run-down area
Busy road/train line/flight path

Salz

Gravelled/paved back gardens with no lawn. Why do people do this I want green!!

HappyMJ

Pretty much everything with my property. Why did I buy it? Not sure but I didn't have a list when I bought it.

Busy roads or high speed roads a no.
No bath, downstairs bath. No.
A deprived neighbourhood. Definitely no.
Leasehold under 150 years. However, my garage is long leasehold and that has not been a problem at all. If it was virtual freehold 999 years at outset and whatever the remaining term is then it wouldn't bother me.
Made of bricks. Can't stand a house that isn't made of brick.
Smell. If you are going to sell a house make it smell nice. I don't want to come away from a viewing and saying to myself that dog/cat/animal stinks.

sonastin

Salz wrote: »

Gravelled/paved back gardens with no lawn. Why do people do this I want green!!

...because I'm massively allergic to grass so it ruins my enjoyment of the garden and still needs cutting all the time
We've still got plenty of flowerbeds, shrubs, pots, etc so there's some green there!


For me, front doors which open straight into your living room.
Front doors which open straight onto the pavement.
No parking.
Flat roofs.
Listed buildings.

sirmosh

Mayflower10cat wrote: »

Busy road, never again.
Badly/shoddily done DIY! Tiling especially.
Extensions that stand out like a sore thumb, bricks/tiles not matched to the original build.

I'd much rather live on a busy road than in a horrible cramped estate, ideally something in between is preferable, a proper road but not a hugely busy one.

London_Town

I agree with so much that has already been posted, here are mine;

Front door opening directly on to the road - so common in new builds now.

Front door opening directly in to the lounge - maybe ok in a period home but unacceptable in a modern one. Lack of privacy and lots of heat loss in the winter.

Stairs in the living room - in the home I had they wiped out a whole wall "furniture wise" and all the heat floated upstairs. Never again.

Small fences round the back garden - I couldn't bear a garden with low fences which make it feel communal and give you no privacy. I don't see how you can buy the house and put up 6 foot fences either as it would send the wrong signals to your new neighbours!

North facing rear garden - the one I viewed was wet, damp and dismal.

Allocated parking - been there and done that, I never want to come home from work wondering if my space is free again.

Almost any house built after 1998. I say this as in my area, that's the date when allocated parking came in and the density of build increased. I bought new build in 98 and 2005 and would never do it again. My home was built in 93 and I have a garage and driveway at last.

movilogo

Nothing really as long as house is not falling off and price is right.

In fact price can compensate for bad location, poor decor, bad neighbor etc. In fact, you can't do much about neighbors - new people can always move in next to your house.

pimento

It's funny, isn't it? I always said I wouldn't want a house with a north facing garden on a main road and then I viewed my house...

My garden faces north east but is 100' long so sun isn't an issue. It's on a busy B road but is set 30' back from the road and we have trees to shield, double glazing and the road is dead after 11pm.

I'd recommend you viewed everything. Don't dismiss a property because it doesn't match what you want on paper.

My only no-no's would be a shared drive and a neighbour dispute. Everything else I'd consider.

Saturnalia

If the access isn't on the main street, i.e. you'd have to walk down a ginnel off the main road and down the back street to get in - who knows who could be hanging around there, and it would be easy pickings for burglars.

phoebe1989seb

pimento wrote: »

It's funny, isn't it? I always said I wouldn't want a house with a north facing garden on a main road and then I viewed my house...

My garden faces north east but is 100' long so sun isn't an issue. It's on a busy B road but is set 30' back from the road and we have trees to shield, double glazing and the road is dead after 11pm.

I'd recommend you viewed everything. Don't dismiss a property because it doesn't match what you want on paper.

My only no-no's would be a shared drive and a neighbour dispute. Everything else I'd consider.

Totally agree Pimento......We used to own a lovely 4 bed detached Victorian house on a busy junction with traffic lights, bus stop and double yellows outside. I detested the revving engines and roar of large vehicles going by and swore we'd never buy on a main road again......but last year we found the perfect renovation project in a very nice village - period thatched house (fronting straight onto road, but very wide pavement) with front door not opening into living room, but into the fourth reception room and plenty of parking, carport and fifth of an acre garden......the main road didn't really put us off at all and I'm surprised to admit we love living here