The impact of noise when selling a home
Nick Leeming, Chairman of Jackson-Stops & Staff, provides his insight on our latest research which examines the impact of different noise pollutants on prospective home buyers.

While many sellers are primarily focused on what their house looks like when preparing it for sale, a huge consideration to potential buyers is the surrounding noise they may encounter on viewings.

We surveyed 1,000 people across England and Wales on the impact noise would have on their decision to move, and found that, on average, 43% wouldnt move into a property at all because of surrounding noise.

Our research showed that those selling a home may come particularly unstuck if their neighbours don't keep noise to a minimum. Almost 70% of house hunters would be unwilling to move to their dream home if they were aware loud music with a heavy bass was played regularly next door, while almost two-thirds (63%) would not put up with neighbours engaging in noisy activities like DIY and parties at least three times a week no matter what the discount. Interestingly, when asked if they would move in if they were able to negotiate on price, 24% of all respondents said yes they would be prepared to suffer through loud music, increasing to 29% when it came to noisy neighbour activities.

'Pleasant' noise like church bells ringing or farmyard animals are most likely to be overlooked by house hunters entirely, proving that not all noise is vexatious. Noises from these natural and spiritual neighbours are far less of an issue for sellers looking to achieve the best sale price. The sound of church bells in the morning is the most appealing to prospective buyers, with 36% happy to move straight in to a home affected by this with no discount, rising to 46% for those located in rural parts of the UK. This is followed by the sound of cockerels crowing every morning- 31% of potential buyers would happily move in next door to an animal alarm clock, without a discount on price.

Noise from party-goers leaving a nearby nightclub is far less appealing. More than 62% of respondents would refuse to move in, rising to 72% for rural homebuyers and 82% for over-55s.

Only 26% of 18 to 24 year olds wouldn';t move into a home near a lively pub or nightclub however, proving that age certainly plays a significant factor in the acceptance of different types of noise near the home.

For those struggling to sell because of a particular din, it is worth targeting the marketing of their property to specific age groups. Whatever the sound disturbance, our research shows there will likely be a buyer out there happy to accept it, which goes to show that a savvy marketing plan, supported by detailed knowledge of a homes benefits including local amenities, is all the more important for properties impacted by noise pollution.