Why Some Houses Have It

What makes some houses sell faster and for a better price than others that are to all intents and purposes pretty similar in size and features? Many of the differences between properties are hard to pinpoint and don’t come down to plain old bricks and mortar and land value. What are these elusive features that make all the difference?

There are several factors that contribute to a home’s appeal that aren’t always immediately quantifiable – orientation, design that maximises natural light, pleasing proportions and other factors that contribute to market appeal.

What if, for example, there are two identical homes, but the living area of one home faces north and the other south? Given that more buyers write ‘north-facing’ on their wish list, the north-facing property is surely more saleable (therefore worth more) than the south-facing one. All the same, the owners of the south-facing one probably think that their home has the same features and of course value as the one that buyers prefer.

The kind of appeal that makes buyers go ‘wow’ can also come simply from regular maintenance and attention to detail in the presentation of the property. A house that looks loved and cared for is shown to its best advantage, yet it may be identical in most other respects to a less popular property in the neighbourhood.

Elusive appeal is also likely to be a function of the original design concept of the house. After all, it is not uncommon for homeowners to “save” money at the planning stage of building or extensions. They achieve the measurable features they were after but not the elusive ‘wow’ factor. Good design, especially the skilful use of natural light, window placement and correct orientation on the land adds something you can recognise but can’t always define. Many people add on, or make minor changes as the need arises without taking a holistic view of their property. They think in terms of immediate solutions to particular problems (need large fourth bedroom with ensuite to become master bedroom) rather than conceptualising the impact of the house as a whole (small living area and kitchen means scale of property is out of balance).

Extending without reference to the scale of the home, for example, creates an floorplan that is not balanced and harmonious. Such a house is likely to lack the aesthetic pull of more cohesive designs even though the number of features looks the same when listed.

Home owners who want to save money should be aware that skimping on planning and design could mean that the house never reaches it’s full potential in terms of re-sale value, no matter how impressive its many ‘features’.


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