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Festive lights put off buyers

Wednesday, 13 December 2006 12:00 AM

Over enthusiastic festive lighting on the exterior of your home is one of the most off-putting things sellers can do, a new seasonal survey finds.

Decorating your home with lots of Christmas lighting was the second most undesirable visual factor for female house buyers, with only broken down vehicles and old furniture in the front garden more of an eyesore.

Men were slightly more accommodating of over the top decorations, who find both broken down vehicles and old furniture and rubbish left in front of a home more undesirable visual factors.

"Christmas and the new year is a notoriously difficult time to sell as people like to be settled over the festive period," explained Warren Bright, head of propertyfinder.com, who conducted the survey.

"Sellers will have to be extra careful not to alienate the buyers who are still out there and over the top decorations are sure to put a lot of people off."

Mr Bright added: "People want to see an unadorned house and imagine themselves in it. That means bold personal statements. . . must be avoided.

"Overstated exteriors are seen as tacky and are likely to give a negative first impression of both the house and the neighbourhood. If you are a seller who likes to deck the outside of your house with flashing lights and plastic figures, then be thankful Father Christmas will be coming down the chimney because you won't be getting buyers through the door."

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