The 10 things buyers hate at open homes

LINK

Any of these turn you off?

 

(serious) structural decay would be the main turn off for IP i think, and PPOR unless I"m going to demolish and build new

 

In the words of Cindi Lauper - "Money changes everything" but tax deductibility matters.

 

Top 3 for me are

Structural issues
Smell
Strange layout

 

I avoid structural issues like the plague however paint peeling, old kitchen, worn carpets are gold to me. The reason why is that your typical mum and dad investor will turn around and leave when seeing this. It gives me more breathing space to work on lowering the price with the vendor and getting a good bargain. Fresh coat of paint, new kitchen and carpet later and I will rent it out to new tenants at a much higher amount.

 

Me too. I bought an IP that was messy/dirty, filthy carpet, peeling wallpaper, crumbling kitchen, stank of dog urine, yard full of junk and weeds and two sheds packed to the roof with junk. I went to three inspections and most people made it as far as the lounge before walking out. Very few ventured as far as the back yard. I agree... gold. We got it for a good price. Rental before reno was $330 pw. Reno costs ~$10k. Rent after was $440 pw. Money in the bank!

 

My pet hates at Opens:
Vendors hanging around.
Vendor's pets hanging around.
Family photos on display.
Selling agents who turn up late especially when I have 3 Opens to get to in the same 30 minute time slot.
Decking boards installed upside down (groove side up).
The rest are structural - and I can make my own assessment if it is a problem or not especially when looking for reno opportunities.

 

LOL I hear you Alan Besides the obvious physical limitations etc my other pet peeves are:

* Insufficient staff to handle the enquiries/hordes wanting to inspect
* One buyer taking up all the agent's time with inane questions, whilst there's a queue
* Buyers who rap on walls (seriously?!!!!)
* Tenants hanging around (and often in the very rooms you need to inspect more thoroughly)
* Buyers using bathrooms (OMG I hate this so much and think it's so RUDE unless it's an absolute emergency and they've asked the agent or vendor FIRST!
* Agent on the phone the entire time displaying zero interest in buyers
* Having to take shoes off when there's no carpet in the place....
* Agents not having keys/access to important areas of the property ie: garages, sheds, basements, out-buildings etc
* Owner occupier owners who can't be bothered cleaning up (tenants I can understand and especially if they're peeved that the landlord is selling ) - how hard is it to wipe up, clean the kitty litter tray and put the loo seat down?
* Agents not being able to answer any questions about the place because it's not their listing/they're new/they don't know anything about the property etc.

Phew! OK, maybe I'm working off steam but I do feel better now

 

Being told by the agent to keep quiet because someone is asleep in the bedroom as they're a shift worker.

 

Went to a private viewing recently and the agent spent at least 20 minutes of the 25 minute viewing on the phone. When he finally got off the phone his first reply to our questions was a sarcastic comment. Needless to say I was put off by his attitude. The house in question was a good buy so maybe he felt he didn't have to try hard but honestly would never use the guy to sell my properties.

 

One buyer taking up agents time

Was once at a open day up at Lorna Ave , Waratah last year in Newcastle.

The female agent stood and spoke non stop to a couple who were so loud i could hear every word as i walked unnoticed through the house.

They were from Sydney they said and they were looking at New astle for an IP.
Now there was me and two couples looking around and this agent completely ignored us to chat to that couple who had NO intention of buying !!

So if you want to chit chat then find a cafe or pub dearie !
Thats why the house in Lorna Ave took months to sell because you were hopeless !

 

Bad neighbours

Went to look at a townhouse in the housing dept suburb of Windale , walked out the backyard with the agent at 11am in the morning to be greeted with a brown eye from the young neighbours at the back balcony having theur morning liquid beer breaky.
The agent laughed it off saying silly teenage boys until they heard him and shouted "come say it here C.."
He then pushed me back into to the house still laughing . " they re only visitors " he says... Friends of the vendors " yeah right !

 

If talking buy and hold IP

Out of those, if the mould was bad and was a building/block/drainage issue as opposed to a bunch of people who use a bathroom with all windows and doors shut with no fan day and night....

The stale smell - yes, indicates a long term problem sometimes, and you cannot get rid of it in a lot of old places....

Smokers where walls and ceiling are putrid, yep, why work hard cleaning everything if you can get one where you don't have to do much, of course money and market can vary this tolerance level.

So basically, if there is no major structural problem and the money can be adjusted to make up for any issues, not really a drama, at the same time in a buyers market with plenty of stock, can probably buy one with minimal time and effort required, these are better IMO as we get no kicks from doing renos.

If were talking other things, as a seller I hate pushy agents that insist on open homes just so it fits in with them and makes it easier, then they send the junior who does not supervise the open.

The pets, yeah, they need to be away.

Family photos ? really, why ? Not many opens I been too where walls etc do not have family photos.

 

I have seen many, many people who stamp on floors and hit walls (in all concrete unit blocks mind you) unfortunate that there is not an IQ test or card for entry, or at least a way to verify capacity to buy, it is the housing equivalent to a tyre kicker

 

I will rap on walls occasionally if I'm trying to work out what the wall is made of if it's not obvious.
the thing is I won't make a point of it and I'll be discreet about it but I don't think there's actually anything wrong with people doing that.
same with the stomp sometimes it can be hard to tell what's underneath the carpet also same with decks it's good to have a bit of a jump on them

 

Other buyers.... hate it when theres competition for a property

 

It's a big no-no for sellers IMO. Buyers want to imagine their own family living in the property, not the vendor's.

 

Don't get me wrong- sometimes you do need to tap to work out material particularly in wet areas or exterior (clad vs w/board vs rendered blueboard for eg) but I have a quiet chuckle at those buyers who tap every wall in every room when it's fairly obvious in double brick apartments or gyprock cottages what's there after one room

As for stomping, I've engaged in this myself a few times when it's hard to tell and there's no subfloor access. Be aware though that ascertaining it's not concrete doesn't mean there's definitely floorboards themselves beneath- many a buyer has been caught up exposing plywood or particleboard sheeting instead of the timber floorboards they thought they'd be able to polish up.

 

I have a good friend (Moshe) who opens the oven... Smells it ... Taps on walls... Looks under beds...he certainly attracts the attention of the Agent .

 

Agreed, the unmistakable rap of asbestos under finders.