When buyers begin their property search they usually have a wish list of features that they want their new house to have. A large garden, quiet location, five bedrooms, a lovely fireplace, or an en-suite are top requirements for many buyers. The more ticks a property has on their wish list, the more inclined they are to make an offer. However, there are a few rooms in a house that are more likely to win over the hearts of viewers than others. To help sellers maximise on this, our agents are sharing their top tips on the rooms that matter most.

The Kitchen

Linda Bullamore, Property Administrator at Fine & Country St Neots, thinks that the kitchen has always been – and will always be – the room that is most likely to sell a house. “The kitchen has become a main focus of modern family life,” she says. “It has become the hub of the house as family living becomes increasingly informal. Combined kitchen and breakfast rooms are very popular as the whole family can gather round while someone is cooking dinner.

“Formal dining rooms are becoming obsolete in favour of stunning kitchens, right up to the point where they could be the deciding factor in a sale,” she comments. “However, as there are so many different styles for kitchens, buyers could be put off if a modern design isn’t to their taste.

“There are some other rooms that can compete, like the bathroom, but I think the kitchen will always be the most likely to sway a sale,” Linda says.

Bathrooms

Property portal Trulia agree with Linda and say that the kitchen and the master bathroom suite are the two most important rooms for buyers.

“A well-appointed kitchen will dramatically increase the value of your home, so it’s worth spicing up yours to grab buyer attention. The same holds true for the bathrooms, especially the master bath. A sparkling master bath with clean lines will charm open-house-goers with modern upgrades like dual vanities and soaking tubs. In the rest of the home, you can rely on touching up paint, clearing clutter, and artful staging,” they suggest.

Living Room

Alice Watson-Smith sells luxury properties at Fine & Country Cannes where the market is focused on a different room.

“The most important room for modern buyers in Cannes is the living room. The most popular homes have an open plan style where the living room, kitchen and dining area are altogether,” Alice explains. “Modern buyers, especially when buying holiday homes in the South of France, put huge value on a holiday focused lifestyle. For holiday homes especially, people want to entertain while they have the time, so they value spaces that make it easier to be with family and friends, like the living room, the outdoor space, pool and kitchen.”

Estate agents in America agree. The National Association of Realtors recently voted the living room as the most important room to stage for a viewing in order to influence buyers’ perceptions of a home.

Wardrobes

Loraine Muphy from Fine & Country Marbella has noticed a difference in priorities between the sexes. Women, she has found, tend to prefer the overall living space, the storage in the bedrooms and kitchens, and, of course, a fantastic walk-in wardrobe. A his-and-hers bathroom is another great selling point.

Men, on the other hand, engross themselves in the specification. “The men tend to be more interested in the technical details, how the construction is, the maintenance, and the car parking areas together with entertainment suites with home cinemas,” Loraine explains.

Bedrooms

The number of bedrooms is something that buyers will consider before they even book a viewing. They need to know if they will have enough space for everyone to have their own room, as well as a guest room. For those trying to appeal to a family, it’s a good idea to turn any bedrooms that double as an office back into a bedroom. This will make the viewers feel like they have more space than they need when they are looking at the property.

Quality

Rather than any one room selling a house, Paul Harris, Sales Manager at Fine & Country St Neots, says that a really high-end finish throughout is more likely to sell a house.

“I’ve found that people are less willing to refurbish a house, even if that means paying more initially,” Paul reveals. “It’s normally the condition, presentation and quality of all interiors that will make people buy. They have less time to do any renovating and they want to move straight in to a property. If the condition is not right, or if the finish is poor quality, then a sale is much less likely.

“Often, people don’t care that they are overpaying because of the quality of finishings. They just want the house!”

To discover properties with perfect kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms and much more, visit www.fineandcountry.com/uk

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