TWO popular summer garden features could be knocking thousands of pounds off the value of your house without you realising. With house sales still relatively slow, it's more important than ever that sellers make their homes as desirable as possible for potential buyers. 2 A pond may look pretty but it can be seen as a health hazard by some home buyers 2 Swimming pools can wipe a hefty £56k off a typical home's value House prices have remained relatively flat over the past year, but experts believe the property market will pick up following the general election and with rate cuts expected later this year.
With that in mind, homeowners keen to sell up should be wary of two popular summer garden features that could actually have a negative impact on the value of their property. Garden ponds and swimming pools may be lovely during the warmer months, but they can actually wipe a combined £60k off the price of an average home, experts have warned. A swimming pool could knock as much as 20% off your house price, equating to a hefty £55,000 penalty, according to Ruth Beeton, co-founder of Home Sale Pack.
Meanwhile, a pond is estimated to damage your home's value by around 1.8%, which equates to around £5,000 off the average property price of £281,000, according to Office for National Statistics data. “When it comes to the value of a property, it’s important to remember that potential buyers won’t necessarily view some features as positively as you might," Ms Beeton said.
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