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.
About the author

About the author


Property
Young buyers poised for a comeback as 5% First Home Guarantee takes effect
In a move set to reshape the Australian property landscape, the government’s revamped First Home Guarantee is poised to open the doors of homeownership to a new generation of young AustraliansRead more

Property
AFG Securities waives settlement fees for first-home buyers, signalling strategic shift
In a strategic move aimed at easing the financial burden on first-home buyers, AFG Securities has announced the elimination of settlement fees on select loans, potentially saving customers up to $699Read more

Property
From trust woes to wealth: Australian agencies' secret to boosting prices
In Australia’s residential market, trust is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a pricing variable. Persistent distrust of real estate agents is depressing vendor outcomes and inviting regulatory heat, but ...Read more

Property
Reality check for first home buyers: Affordable suburbs with 5% deposit
In a significant development for Australian first home buyers, a new property search tool from Aussie Home Loans is set to transform the way prospective homeowners approach the market. As the Federal ...Read more

Property
Trust as a performance multiplier in Australia's real estate market
In Australia’s A$10–11 trillion housing market, trust is emerging as a crucial factor that sellers and agencies can no longer afford to overlook. Traditionally viewed as a soft metric, trust is now ...Read more

Property
LJ Hooker Lake Macquarie makes a splash with Belmont buy as real estate consolidation looms
LJ Hooker Lake Macquarie’s acquisition of the Belmont office, including its rent roll, is less about shopfronts and more about balance‑sheet resilience. In a market where listings ebb and flow with ...Read more

Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more

Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more

Property
Young buyers poised for a comeback as 5% First Home Guarantee takes effect
In a move set to reshape the Australian property landscape, the government’s revamped First Home Guarantee is poised to open the doors of homeownership to a new generation of young AustraliansRead more

Property
AFG Securities waives settlement fees for first-home buyers, signalling strategic shift
In a strategic move aimed at easing the financial burden on first-home buyers, AFG Securities has announced the elimination of settlement fees on select loans, potentially saving customers up to $699Read more

Property
From trust woes to wealth: Australian agencies' secret to boosting prices
In Australia’s residential market, trust is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a pricing variable. Persistent distrust of real estate agents is depressing vendor outcomes and inviting regulatory heat, but ...Read more

Property
Reality check for first home buyers: Affordable suburbs with 5% deposit
In a significant development for Australian first home buyers, a new property search tool from Aussie Home Loans is set to transform the way prospective homeowners approach the market. As the Federal ...Read more

Property
Trust as a performance multiplier in Australia's real estate market
In Australia’s A$10–11 trillion housing market, trust is emerging as a crucial factor that sellers and agencies can no longer afford to overlook. Traditionally viewed as a soft metric, trust is now ...Read more

Property
LJ Hooker Lake Macquarie makes a splash with Belmont buy as real estate consolidation looms
LJ Hooker Lake Macquarie’s acquisition of the Belmont office, including its rent roll, is less about shopfronts and more about balance‑sheet resilience. In a market where listings ebb and flow with ...Read more

Property
Twice the demand: the case study behind Melbourne’s first‑home buyer surge
Melbourne has quietly engineered one of Australia’s most consequential housing turnarounds, with first‑home buyer demand running at roughly double the national pace and four of the top five buyer ...Read more

Property
First‑home buyers now anchor Australia’s mortgage growth — but the risk maths is changing
Great Southern Bank’s revelation that nearly one in three of its new mortgages went to first‑home buyers is not an outlier. It is the leading edge of a broader market realignment powered by government ...Read more