Invest
Is your property undesirable to purchasers?
Aussie home owners should be wary of potential property turn-offs before putting their property on the market, according to new research.
Is your property undesirable to purchasers?
Aussie home owners should be wary of potential property turn-offs before putting their property on the market, according to new research.
Asbestos and a suburb’s crime rate top a new list, according to comparison site Finder.
More than six in 10 (64 per cent) Australians have admitted in the survey that they would reject a home if it had been built using potentially harmful materials.
The same amount of respondents said a suburb’s high crime rate would turn them away, while a comparable number (61 per cent) indicated that they would rule out a property if it has an odour.
Finder’s money expert, Bessie Hassan, said common turn-offs could be costing investors, due to the potential to shave thousands off a property’s value.
She said, “Buyers can nab a bargain if they’re prepared to think outside the box when coming up with solutions to property bugbears.”
More than half of respondents also refuse to live near a noisy bar or pub, or in a location with bad parking, while others indicated the undesirability of living on a main road.
Ms Hassan conceded that “there’s nothing you can do about living on a main road, but installing high fencing or soundproofing can work wonders”.
Living in close proximity to an industrial estate, flight paths or a brothel also all made the list of undesirable locations.
Ms Hassan urged buyers to be practical when looking for a property.
“Sometimes there’s only so much you can do to improve a property. If you can’t think of a reasonable way to fix it, then it’s best to keep looking,” she offered.
Making a home real estate ready
Finder has offered up a number of ways to improve the desirability of your property:
– Replace the carpets. These absorb years of dirt, stains and general grime, which can start to smell and look shabby over time.
– Spruce up the halls with a fresh coat of paint. Not only will this hide dirt and scuff marks, a lighter colour can transform a dingy space.
– Get your green thumb on. Despite not making Finder’s list, having a scraggly and unkempt garden can also be off-putting for potential buyers. Mow the lawn, pull out any weeds and clear leaf matter out of the gutters.
– Use a high-pressure hose. For houses made of brick, this is a simple yet effective way to get rid of any dirt or moss that has built up over the years.
RELATED ARTICLES
About the author
About the author
Property
2026 property expansion? Why disciplined investors will wait — and where to play offence
A growing chorus of market practitioners is urging investors to pause portfolio expansion in 2026 as returns compress and policy settings tighten. The headline risk is less about price crashes and ...Read more
Property
Cost, red tape and capital: why Australia’s housing pipeline is shrinking — and how to rebuild it
Australia’s housing pipeline is being choked by a toxic mix of escalating input costs, regulatory drag and tighter finance. The result: mid-market projects stall while luxury builds proceed, pushing ...Read more
Property
Start 2026 strong: Turn property advice into a data-driven advantage
In 2026, property professionals who industrialise goal-setting and risk management with data and AI will capture outsized client value. The playbook is shifting from intuitive advice to measurable, ...Read more
Property
Solar for renters isn’t just social policy — it’s a new operating model for residential property
Queensland’s Supercharged Solar for Renters program, backed by the REIQ, reframes the ‘split incentive’ that has stymied energy upgrades in rentals. With rebates of up to $3,500 per property and joint ...Read more
Property
Holiday towns as assets, not postcards: How to invest where the beach meets the balance sheet
Summer seduces capital to the coast, but the smart money treats holiday towns like operating businesses, not lifestyle trophies. Demand is seasonal, regulation is variable, and returns depend on ...Read more
Property
First Home Supply: a $10b bet on 100,000 keys — and a reshaping of Australia’s build-to-sell pipeline
Can $10 billion translate into 100,000 front doors for first-time buyers — without overheating costs or stalling on approvals? The new First Home Supply program signals a pivot from demand-side ...Read more
Property
Navigating the crunch: A 2025 case study of Australia’s housing market and the operators who outperformed
Australia’s 2025 property market was defined by a stubborn supply squeeze and cost-of-living pressure—tempered by rate cuts and targeted incentives. Yet a cohort of developers, lenders and agencies ...Read more
Property
Australia’s mortgage rebound: a 19% surge that reshapes pricing, risk and distribution
New APRA figures show new home lending jumped 18.9% in the September quarter year-on-year, signalling a demand recovery despite elevated rates. The upswing intensifies a three-way contest between ...Read more
Property
2026 property expansion? Why disciplined investors will wait — and where to play offence
A growing chorus of market practitioners is urging investors to pause portfolio expansion in 2026 as returns compress and policy settings tighten. The headline risk is less about price crashes and ...Read more
Property
Cost, red tape and capital: why Australia’s housing pipeline is shrinking — and how to rebuild it
Australia’s housing pipeline is being choked by a toxic mix of escalating input costs, regulatory drag and tighter finance. The result: mid-market projects stall while luxury builds proceed, pushing ...Read more
Property
Start 2026 strong: Turn property advice into a data-driven advantage
In 2026, property professionals who industrialise goal-setting and risk management with data and AI will capture outsized client value. The playbook is shifting from intuitive advice to measurable, ...Read more
Property
Solar for renters isn’t just social policy — it’s a new operating model for residential property
Queensland’s Supercharged Solar for Renters program, backed by the REIQ, reframes the ‘split incentive’ that has stymied energy upgrades in rentals. With rebates of up to $3,500 per property and joint ...Read more
Property
Holiday towns as assets, not postcards: How to invest where the beach meets the balance sheet
Summer seduces capital to the coast, but the smart money treats holiday towns like operating businesses, not lifestyle trophies. Demand is seasonal, regulation is variable, and returns depend on ...Read more
Property
First Home Supply: a $10b bet on 100,000 keys — and a reshaping of Australia’s build-to-sell pipeline
Can $10 billion translate into 100,000 front doors for first-time buyers — without overheating costs or stalling on approvals? The new First Home Supply program signals a pivot from demand-side ...Read more
Property
Navigating the crunch: A 2025 case study of Australia’s housing market and the operators who outperformed
Australia’s 2025 property market was defined by a stubborn supply squeeze and cost-of-living pressure—tempered by rate cuts and targeted incentives. Yet a cohort of developers, lenders and agencies ...Read more
Property
Australia’s mortgage rebound: a 19% surge that reshapes pricing, risk and distribution
New APRA figures show new home lending jumped 18.9% in the September quarter year-on-year, signalling a demand recovery despite elevated rates. The upswing intensifies a three-way contest between ...Read more
