Study reveals what buyers are really looking at during viewings

July 1, 2017 by Brendan O'Neill

Home owners

A new study has revealed what home buyers are noticing and what they are really looking for when viewing a home.

The research was conducted by Anglian Home Improvements, using eye tracking technology. This revealed exactly what people were noticing when they were viewing a home, and how clutter and mess is distracting for home buyers.

A number of house hunters were tracked using the technology to see which features grabbed their attention during the viewing. Decor and furnishings took up 27% of viewers’ time, with 24% being spent looking at the mess and clutter in the home.

In contrast to these figures, just 4% of time was spent looking at the layout of the property. Females found the clutter and mess the most distracting, while male buyers seemed far less bothered. According to the survey results, even when the buyers failed to mention the clutter to the estate agent, they were constantly looking at it when in a room.

The features and structure of the building and grounds took up more of the men’s time than the women, who were more focused on personal touches, like photos, furnishings and decoration. The viewers were constantly distracted by the personal elements of the home, rather than noticing other aspects.

Although you may spend more time with a CeMAP qualified mortgage advisor finding a suitable mortgage, you also need to dedicate time to preparing your home for viewings, in order to increase the chance of selling quickly.