What do buyers look for when viewing a home? Heatmaps show it’s all the WRONG things

Some Britons spend less time viewing their new home than they do test driving a car, and they focus on the wrong things.

According to Zoopla, a fifth of us spend less than 20 minutes viewing a house before making an offer.

The real estate portal also used heatmap technology to show where potential buyers focus their eyes most during a viewing, with surprising results.

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Given that the average house is worth £265,000, a 20-minute viewing can typically equate to a decision of £13,280 per minute.

According to Auto Trader, a test drive at a car dealership takes up to an hour. In fact, many test drives can take as little as 30 minutes. That’s less than the time it takes buyers to view a home.

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However, some agents think that 20 minutes is enough to get a feel for a place, especially if they have already done research online.

Amy Reynolds, head of sales at estate agency Antony Roberts in Richmond, said:

‘Most people end up being very happy with their home purchase. That means they know what they want and once they see it, they can make a quick decision.

‘Before scheduling a viewing, most people will have viewed the property online, looked at the floor plan and layout, and made a preliminary decision about whether the property appeals to them.

‘Then it’s about confirming the space and the atmosphere of a house. And yes, the atmosphere is crucial.’

Home buyers focus on furnishings, not details

Using eye-tracking software on groups of real home buyers, Zoopla was also able to find out where people focus their attention during viewings.

It’s incredible, but home buyers only look at a bedroom for 34 seconds and the kitchen for just 1.2 minutes.

But perhaps even more interesting is that the technology shows in real time what buyers are paying attention to, revealing which items and areas attract home buyers and which are most neglected.

Rather than focusing on important things like the condition of the boiler, water pressure or signs of damage or damp, home buyers spent more time admiring items that wouldn’t even be there when they moved in, such as furniture and decorations.

According to Zoopla, mirrors, plants and paintings were particularly popular.

In hallways, the coat rack, carpet and ornaments were viewed for more than a second on average, while structural elements of the building, such as the ceiling, floor, radiator and walls, were viewed for less than a second or not at all.

Many home buyers were also distracted by the flashy walls in the bedroom, causing them to look at other rooms up to 19 times.

Survey participants were least interested in the floor, roof and ceiling, all of which are important parts of a home that you should inspect before purchasing.

Meanwhile, people in any room did not look at radiators for more than 0.5 seconds, despite them being an important part of a home’s heating system.

Zoopla also revealed that when looking at the bath and shower, buyers tended to ignore the bathroom ceilings as these are the most susceptible to damp and condensation.

The shortest time spent on this was only 0.34 seconds. In the bathroom, only 3 percent of attention was spent on it.

The research follows another survey by Zoopla, which involved 2,000 homebuyers viewing properties over the past five years.

The research shows that only half of potential home buyers check something as important as the central heating boiler and only a quarter check the water pressure.

Just under a quarter check the WiFi strength and a similar percentage check the attic.

However, when it comes to cosmetic features and furnishings, it turns out that these again receive much more attention.

A quarter admit to looking at photos of the family living there and a similar number at the technology in the home.

Nearly a third look at their flowers and 37 percent admire their furniture. One in eight even admit to noticing how comfortable the owners’ bed and sofa are.

The survey also found that two-fifths of residents do not check for damp and three-fifths do not check for condensation.

Jonathan Handford of Fine & Country Estate Agents believes that cosmetic factors play a crucial role in the attractiveness of a property.

“Well-maintained homes with modern kitchens, stylish bathrooms and fresh paintwork are significantly more attractive than homes that have fallen into disrepair or have outdated furnishings,” Handford said.

‘Carefully chosen furnishings and decor can emphasize an attractive lifestyle, making the home more appealing to potential buyers.

‘This attention to presentation also improves marketing materials, allowing agents to better convey the property’s potential through high-quality images and descriptions.’