When house hunting, what is your biggest pet peeve about somebody's house? (negotiating, agents)

[srnyong]

Originally Posted by d4g4m

Listings that say 'move in ready'. Visit the place and see the carpet needs to be replaced [for color or dirty]. Every room needs painting. The A/C is 15 years old. The shingles need replacing. The kitchen is a disaster area. The windows are dirty. Piles of dog do in the yard.

Totally agree with you.
I went to a "move in ready" property to see badly damaged carpet, damaged walls, stove and dishwasher missing.

[srnyong]

I haven't been house hunting since Jan 2002 (exactly 7 years ago). I still remember one house that bothered me the most during that search.

We got to the front door to see a sign that said, "Please remove your shoes." - this is NOT the problem. I'm happy to to remove my shoes. I personally don't wear shoes in my own home.

The problem was that it was pretty obvious to us that the owners regularly wore their shoes in the house. House was dirty!

My socks got dirty while touring their home.
Needless to say, I left and never came back.

[minibrings]

I agree about clutter. If you have too much stuff rent a storage unit for the clutter. I did this, staged my condo, baked cookies so the place smelled like chocolate chip.. and I had an offer on the first day. This was in january 2008, right when the market starting tanking.

And not to change the tone, has anyone ever looked at a place and got a weird vibe? i looked at a house that was clean and uncluttered but I had this bad feeling. I told my sister and when I told her where the house was located, she responded "oh thats the haunted house..." A friend of mine who is a realtor told me she has encountered homes that she was troubled to walk into.. but it was her job..

[middle-aged mom]

Originally Posted by srnyong

My socks got dirty while touring their home.
Needless to say, I left and never came back.

I always say a filthy house is money on the floor.

[scuba steve]

Originally Posted by ladybug07

Since we have been looking for the past couple of weeks, my biggest pet peeves.....

1) Trim and walls painted different colors (example-white walls with lime green trim)

2) Crappy home improvements....seriously, if your going to do crown molding, do it right.

3) tons of wallpaper

5) alot of painting.

To me, these mean discounts! I can swing a hammer and get projects done the right way. If the house isn't discounted to take any of the above into account, time to move on to the next place.

[absiesmom]

It's funny, you don't know you have these peeves until you encounter them and then say, "Yuuuukk" and turn around and leave. I don't waste time looking around if within the first thirty seconds or so I don't find something redeeming about the property, and I do try to find its good points. But, when you see clutter or something doesn't smell very welcoming or the place looks like everybody took off like there was going to be a raid or something, then you have to wonder. I may be putting my house on the market soon and I like the honesty, especially "money on the floor." When looking at houses, I think it's just as important, too, to have good views looking out the windows as you have inside; at least you can change what you have around you if you have to, but you have a harder time changing what you see through the windows!

[ladybug07]

Originally Posted by scuba steve

To me, these mean discounts! I can swing a hammer and get projects done the right way. If the house isn't discounted to take any of the above into account, time to move on to the next place.

The bad part is that the two houses I referred to are both still on the market and have been since Jan & Feb.
We didnt want to put alot of work into a home this time and pretty much wanted it turn key ready. Trust me, if we were up for the challenge again, would would have done it again in a heart beat.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by KeysDreamer

We too watch HGTV and know what needs to be done but wondered about the carpet.

First of all ... Stop watching HGTV!!! Clean your carpet and offer a discount if a) the buyers are adamant and not offering one would tank the sale; or 2) the carpet is badly damaged.

Originally Posted by ladybug07

1) Trim and walls painted different colors (example-white walls with lime green trim)

Don't ever come to my house. The walls and trim in every room are all painted different colors ... Isn't that the way a room is supposed to be painted, to have the trim contrast with the walls?

[gentlearts]

I can see beyond clutter and ugly decorating (in fact, ugly decorating gets my decorating juices flowing), but I will run the other way at a bad smell, or dirtiness. If someone can live with dirt, I know they have not taken care of maintenance either.

[Heiwos]

I can live with a bad smell / dirtiness during a showing for $20K+ off the price. I'll take a nice vacation with the savings and have money left over for new flooring & a cleaning crew. The inspector can find what undisclosed major maintenance is needed, for a further discount to pay for it all, when I've already got the place under contract.