Here at Cooke & Co Estate and Letting Agents, we’ve been telling our clients for years to ditch the clutter and get the décor spot on to secure a top sale. Well now a survey has proved us right!

The study* found that two in five buyers look for a property that matches their own personal taste in interiors. (The split was 46% of men and 36% of women, dispelling the myth that women are the fussier sex.)

Now, you may be wondering why buyers get so hung up on cosmetic details. After all, it’s easy enough to paint a few walls if you don’t like a colour scheme, and you’re buying a property, not the furniture.

But many buyers make emotional rather than analytical decisions. When they step inside a home, they want to imagine themselves living there. Younger buyers – influenced by the mountains of interior design content on TikTok and Instagram – may have particularly strong views.

Most popular look

Minimalism 

About 40% of those surveyed said they’d pay more for the clean, white, non-fussy minimalist look. On average, buyers would pay £3,600 over the asking price for this style, while a whopping 12% of 18 to 24-year-olds would pay £10k more. 

Other styles

Farmhouse style (think neutral tones, wood and chunky knit textiles) ranked second, with 34% saying they’d pay more for this look. Scandi style (similar to minimalism but with more natural materials thrown in) ranked third, with 33% saying they’d offer above the asking price for this look. 

Turn-offs

Maximalist décor was a no-no for buyers, with 32% saying they’d pay below the asking price for a property with a loud, brash interior. Styles such as mid-century modern, boho and art deco also provoked negative responses, with 31% saying they would offer below the asking price for a home with this aesthetic.

Conclusion

You don’t have to be an interiors expert to get the big picture. Loud colours, fussy prints and rooms full of clutter turn off buyers. Investing time and effort in staging your home will pay off.

For more advice on presenting your home for sale, contact us here at Cooke & Co Estate and Letting Agents

*Survey of 2,000 buyers conducted by Hammonds Furniture.

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