What Are First Time Buyers Looking For When Visiting Your Property?

Demand during the pandemic indicates now is a popular time to sell your home, but who is the first-time buyer and what do they want most?

The mortgage crunch has pushed the average first-time buyer deposit to £57,000 — that’s a lot of money by anyone's estimation, so getting a foot on the ladder is no mean feat.

This means first-time buyers must save for longer, think harder about what they want, and come to terms with the reality of having to prioritise elements of their first home wishlist over others.

If you’re looking to sell, however, the first-time buyer is an attractive prospect. Why? Because they are perceived as being more proceedable: i.e. buyers without a chain who don't need to sell their home before being able to move, so long as they have the deposit ready.

So, despite rising house prices, now is not the time to squeeze out first-time buyers. In this article, we explore what most first-time buyers are looking for when visiting your property and how you can accommodate their needs. Read on.

A spotless property

Not everything in your house needs to be perfect, but it has to be clean.

First-time buyers want to see that your property is sufficiently cared for and in a good condition to move in. When interested buyers have arranged a viewing take extra care to wash the windows, dust flat surfaces, and clear grime from the kitchen appliances.

Odour is also a major problem for any buyer. In fact, many reports list bad smells among the biggest property turn-offs. This is because a lingering odour creates a subconscious bad impression of your property. The solution? Identify the smell and eliminate it. The problem can be as simple as taking out the bins or throwing out a pile of dirty shoes.

If cleanliness issues are ingrained in the property you might have to take further action. For instance, damp is a stubborn problem first-time buyers are careful to avoid. After all, it smells bad and is indicative of further structural issues. So, you can either put in the hard graft to clear the problem yourself or invest in professional assistance to remove a reg flag from your property.

A well-maintained garden

Expecting acres of land is unrealistic for the average first-time buyer, but they do demand some sort of outside space where they can relax and grab some much needed fresh air.

Gardens left to grow wild often prove to be a downside for people viewing your property, first-time buyer or otherwise. For example, strange plants and weeds are a big red flag because wild plants can damage property and dominate life in the garden, especially species like Japanese Knotweed — which is known as the UK’s most destructive plant.

Soil is often a major issue too. After all, non-fertile or arid soil in the garden makes it impossible to grow any foliage at all. When dry, most soil types lose their nutrients and crack. This impossible combination is both unappealing and impossible to work with. To solve this problem and appeal to prospective first-time buyers, landscaping experts recommend using organic fertilizer to bring soil to life. They are packed with beneficial minerals and microbes that help flower beds bloom and add some colour to the property.

The potential to extend

Getting a foot on the property ladder is a big achievement, particularly because of the cost involved. Due to this, more first-time buyers are staying in their properties for longer, which means having the potential to extend and develop is highly desired, even if the project isn’t affordable at the move-in date.

When people want to get on the property ladder it’s typical for them to purchase a smaller home to extend at a later date. Many properties have the potential, for instance, to convert a loft space into another bedroom or build a conservatory at the rear of the house. But it can be a legal minefield. That is unless the planned extension can be considered permitted development under The Town and Country Planning Order 2015.

Permitted development is a big tick for first-time buyers visiting your property, but it depends on your location and the type of extension looking to be built. Here is a list of permitted developments for reference. If your home can accommodate these extensions then its potential is much more appealing for the first-time buyer taking the guided tour.

Now is not the time to ignore the first-time buyer. These more proceedable buyers allow for a hassle-free sale, so long as they have the deposit ready to go.