I’m a Real Estate Agent: 4 Living Room Details That Will Turn Homebuyers Away
Written by
Stacy Sare Cohen
Edited by
Jenna Klaverweiden
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When buyers tour a home, the living room usually sets the tone for everything that follows. As soon as buyers step inside, they begin imagining how their lives might unfold — movie nights with friends, holiday gatherings with family or a quiet evening curled up on the sofa with a good book.
Any experienced real estate agent will tell you that certain living room details can help buyers imagine that vision, while others will send them looking elsewhere. “As soon as buyers walk into a living room, they start to imagine themselves living there, and anything that disrupts that imagination can be a deal breaker, according to real estate agent Jeff Goodman at Brown Harris Stevens.
GOBankingRates asked Goodman for his insights on what living room details turn homebuyers away.
Mismatched, Oversize Furniture
A beautiful living room should have a cohesive flow and be clutter-free. One of the biggest turnoffs, Goodman said, is mismatched and oversize furniture. A sofa that’s too large in front of a window or furniture pieces that don’t go together can send buyers walking and scrolling onto the next property.
“I have seen beautifully staged homes perform badly in front of the buyers just because the furniture made the whole space feel cramped,” he said.
Loud Wall Colors
There’s a reason real estate agents recommend neutral colors, especially in the living room. A survey on paint colors by Fixr reported that soft, warm whites in living spaces add the most value to homes on the market. The survey found that colors such as lime green and bright pinks were the most off-putting.
“Bold colors may be suitable for the homeowner’s personality, but most buyers view them as extra work; when someone is looking for a home, they usually look for a blank canvas, not a renovation project,” Goodman explained.
Personalized Decor
When a home is too personalized, buyers cannot envision themselves living in that space. Goodman said he asks home sellers to avoid over-personalized decor like heavy family photo galleries or quirky collections.
“If they get too distracted by anything like your Star Wars [collection] or vintage doll display, you have lost them before they even get to the kitchen,” he said. “Yes, it is your home, but the buyers need to picture themselves living there, and your family galleries are not something that they would probably want.”
Poor Lighting
Lighting is a living room detail that sellers often overlook. Goodman said that using the proper lighting is essential to make a good first impression.
“Even if the rest of the house is perfect, an overly yellow color light or dim lighting can make a living room feel gloomy and outdated,” he said. “Remember, you can never go wrong with natural light, but if you don’t have it, you can still cut it with soft white LED lamps.”
And don’t forget to open the blinds or curtains all the way to let the sunshine in.
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