OTT Xmas lights big buyer turn-off

Posted: 14 Dec 2006 10:01:54 GMT

Lighting the front of your home with more bulbs than Las Vegas may earn you a place in your local paper but will not give potential buyers a feeling of seasonal goodwill, says a survey

Lighting the front of your home with more bulbs than Las Vegas may earn you a place in your local paper but will not give potential buyers a feeling of seasonal goodwill, says a survey.

Over-the-top Christmas lighting was near the top of undesirable features when viewing a home, second only to broken down vehicles and old furniture in the front garden.

"Overstated exteriors are seen as tacky and are likely to give a negative first impression of both the house and the neighbourhood," said Warren Bright of Propertyfinder.

"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 said whatever the time of year, potential buyers want to visualise possible homes for themselves without having someone else's questionable taste in the way.

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