From metro tiles and dark blue walls, to copper taps and painted floorboards – a new home improvement trends report by Rated People has revealed some of the most popular décor and renovation trends from the last few years could in fact make potential buyers less likely to buy your home.
The Top 15 features most likely to put buyers off are:
- Rooms painted dark blue – 52%
- Rooms painted dark grey – 49%
- No bath (only a shower) – 43%
- Dark blue kitchen cupboard doors – 41%
- Black taps/ shower fittings – 35%
- Painted floorboards – 35%
- Dark grey window frames – 32%
- Dark grey kitchen cupboard doors – 31%
- Original sash windows – 31%
- Wooden double glazing – 31%
- Patterned floor tiles – 29%
- Tiled floor in living spaces – 29%
- Copper taps on kitchen sink – 28%
- White metro tiles in bathroom with dark grouting – 28%
- Open plan layout – 27%
(ranked by the percentage of UK homeowners who said each feature would make them less likely to buy a property)
Bold colours, statement fittings and kitchens that are anything but white are currently some of the most popular interior design trends in the UK. But despite their popularity, rooms painted dark blue or dark grey are the top two design features most likely to put buyers off, with half of UK homeowners saying this would make them less likely to purchase a property.
The research is taken from a wider study into renovation and interior design trends in the UK and other surprising buyer turnoffs include copper taps, dark grey window frames and patterned floor tiles. The findings suggest anything that’s too bold or personal could make it harder for buyers to see past the décor and imagine themselves in a property.
Rated People analysed a sample of 820,000 jobs from 3 million posted on its platform over the past three years to create the Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report: 2020. From huge spikes in homeowners wanting to make their homes more eco-friendly, to millennials being more likely than any other generation to tackle big DIY renovation jobs – the report provides a unique snapshot of home improvement trends and habits in 2020, including which design features attract and repel the most buyers.
Adrienne Minster, CEO of Rated People commented:
“We know from the many completed projects in our community that dark and bold colours can look great, whether they’re used on walls, ceilings, kitchen cupboards or window frames. But when it comes to selling, it’s a good idea to stay up to date with the features that buyers are looking for because the trends that were adding value just two to three years ago might now be devaluing properties.”
How to Create the Most Sellable Home
Six of the top 15 features that make buyers more likely to buy a property are external, with a lawned garden, security system, paved patio, outdoor lights, bifold doors and decking, all working to increase the number of potential buyers for a property.
Inside, it’s functional additions like a downstairs toilet, built-in storage, a separate shower cubicle and underfloor heating that would attract the most buyers. Interestingly, having separate living spaces rather than just one open plan space for the whole family also appeared to be popular with prospective buyers, which could be a sign that more of us are starting to appreciate a separate living room to a kitchen diner, to kick back and relax in at night.
The top 15 home improvements that attract the most buyers are:
- Downstairs toilet – 58%
- Built-in storage (wardrobes/cupboards) – 54%
- UPVC double glazing – 54%
- Separate shower cubicle – 52%
- Lawned garden – 51%
- Separate living spaces (opposite of open-plan) – 49%
- Security system – 47%
- Paved patio – 45%
- Outdoor lights – 41%
- Underfloor heating – 41%
- Marble worksurface in kitchen – 38%
- Kitchen island – 37%
- Bi-fold doors to the garden – 35%
- Decking – 33%
- White window frames – 30%
(ranked by the percentage of UK homeowners who said each feature would make them more likely to buy a property)
Adrienne continues:
“If you choose to make any changes to your home ahead of selling, many of the buyer turnoffs aren’t actually too time-consuming or labour intensive to fix, whether you choose to go down the DIY route, or you get a trusted tradesperson in. And, although some of the most attractive home improvements may look like bigger, more costly jobs to complete, there are clever and cost-effective ways to achieve similar looks, which could in turn increase the value of your home.”
Rated People has worked with the award-winning Jen Stanbrook at Love Chic Living to create a comprehensive list of tips on how to maximise your home’s value ahead of selling. For the full list of tips and hacks on how to fix the design features most likely to put buyers off, and how to add some of the home improvements that are most likely to attract buyers, visit www.ratedpeople.com/2020-trends.
