Saturday, November 6, 2010
Category:
Home Improvements
According to Post Office Mortgages’ Property Fads and Fashions Report, design fads from decades gone by still ‘haunt the homes of the UK’. It would seem that what was previously considered to be tasteful is today striking a ‘sour note’ among many homebuyers.
Post Office’s research revealed that the built-in bar, such as the one featured in the TV programme ‘Only Fools and Horses’, is thought to be the worst furniture fad of the last 30 years. Of the 2,002 individuals surveyed, 23 percent of respondents felt that this was the case. Mock fireplaces, animal print rugs and black ash furniture reportedly also ranked in the top ten design crimes of previous decades. What’s more, it was found that artex walls are deemed to be the worst interior design fad of the last 30 years, with 18 percent of respondents sharing this opinion.
Findings show that those under the age of 34 are most willing to bag a bargain by seeing past ‘dodgy DIY and interior design faux-pas’. Among this group, it was found that just 51 percent would turn down a property on the grounds of poor DIY work, whereas 69 percent of those over 55 years of age would walk away for this reason.
Post Office has pointed out that homeowners needn’t spend a lot of money to impress potential buyers, as ‘small and inexpensive improvements can make all the difference’. Despite the research revealing that 57 percent of respondents would be more inclined to buy a clean and tidy property, it was discovered that 49 percent of sellers would not clean and tidy their home. Furthermore, just 48 percent would reportedly de-clutter their property to add to the illusion of space.
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Homeowners who have recently moved into a new property that is in need of modernisation could consider taking out a secured loan to fund any work required. One of many finance options available, a secured loan for
home improvements could allow borrowers to embark upon an array of projects in and around the home. For example, any existing, sub-standard DIY jobs could be put right and houses could be re-decorated throughout in accordance with personal tastes.
