‘Incredibly easy-to-make’ property mistakes could knock thousands off the selling price – ‘puts buyers off’
A property expert has warned homeowners about popular home modifications that could significantly devalue their homes in 2025.
He cautioned that seemingly attractive home improvements might actually harm selling prices and give potential buyers room to negotiate offers that are thousands of pounds lower.
“Getting the highest possible price for your property is every seller’s dream, but it’s incredibly easy to make mistakes that can devalue your home,” explained the founder of SellHouseFast.uk Jack Malnick.
From open-plan layouts to social media-inspired DIY projects, several current trends could prove problematic for homeowners looking to maintain their property’s value.
The shift away from open-plan living spaces marks a significant change in home buyer preferences for 2025.
Jack said: “Previous trends in homes have seen buyers keen for open plan spaces that flow naturally into one another.
“With many people working from home, the appetite is for having a designated work space and ideally one that can be closed off from the rest of the house.”
He warned that removing walls to create open-plan layouts could backfire: “Opening up your downstairs layout might feel like the right option, but losing an office space or somewhere to work will definitely be a negative for buyers in the future.”
Social media-inspired DIY projects could also pose risks to property values, according to the expert.
“Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram have become hotspots for home inspiration and DIY advice,” he added, warning that these trends might cause long-term damage.
The recent trend of glueing cheap mirrors to walls as an example that has already shown signs of damage and poor aesthetic longevity. Bold front door colours are another concern for property values.
Jack explained: “From pastel pink to postbox red and even bright sunshine yellow, they’re certainly eye-catching but can sometimes come across as cheap.”
He added that DIY paint jobs often show wear and tear, including peeling and fading, which can deter potential buyers.
Trendy decorative choices could also lead to rapid property value decline. Feature walls with stand-out patterns can become quickly outdated, serving as a cautionary tale for current trends.
He said: “Trends including wooden wall panelling, chevron tiles and even building in the media wall style TV units can quickly become outdated.
“For a prospective buyer, this means they could view a property as needing more work or time to undo all of these trends, and this could see them put off a property or offering a lower price.”
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Garage conversions, despite their popularity, could also negatively impact property values in 2025.
Jack added: “A trend that’s been rising is to convert a garage and utilise it as another room.” He warns that converted garages might not be classified as additional rooms during valuation, especially if they don’t meet building regulations.
Storage space remains a crucial factor for potential buyers. The pro said: “Equally important is storage and space for buyers, so they might still want to see a garage that can offer space to store items and if it’s been reutilised then they might be losing valuable storage space.”