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Noisy neighbours are the most off-putting thing when buying a new home, survey suggests

A home which had once been the scene of a murder is more attractive to buyers than one which has signs of damp, cracks in the walls, or a shared garden, new research has found. 

A previous murder would be enough to deter 58% of buyers, while a home with reported paranormal activity would be a no-go for 44% – but the research by regulated property buyer Good Move indicates that less onerous issues are greater cause for concern.

For example, 85% of those surveyed said that noisy neighbours would be their biggest worry, with many people saying that any signs of nuisance neighbours would put them off buying. 

The survey also found that 76% would be more concerned about a short lease, 75% about signs of damp, 73% about a shared garden, and 73% about cracks in the walls.

Meanwhile, a front door opening onto a main road would make 70% reconsider, while 69% would be put off by no parking. Additionally, 66% would be put off if there was no garden, 63% about bad smells and 62% by busy roads nearby.

Despite the fact that over 40% of those surveyed suggested that they would still be willing to buy a property if a murder had been committed there, the survey also found that they would expect the property’s market value to be reduced by around a third. 

They would also expect a discount of 30% if there had been reports of paranormal activity, and a discount of 25% if the property was next to a cemetery.

‘Although everyone has a different idea of the perfect home, it’s clear from our survey that certain things will put off most people,’ said Ross Counsell, director at Good Move.

‘On the bright side, some of these put-offs are easy to address, so if you are looking to sell your house, make sure you sort out small things like cracks and damp. These actions can make a huge difference and help you to make your house more attractive to buyers,’ he added.

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