Our home is not promoting – are the neighbours’ Christmas lights devaluing it?

We’ve had our house on the market since late October. The plan is to move up north with my wife and son to be closer to my mum, who is on her own and unwell. 

We’ve had a few viewings, but no offers, and I’m getting a little concerned as time is of the essence.

The couple who lives in one of the terraced houses next to us are what you’d describe as ‘outgoing’.

Just as we’d had the for sale sign put up outside our property, they put Halloween decorations up outside their house.

Now they’ve now got a whole load of gaudy Christmas lights up and even those hideous inflatable decorations in the shape of Santa and elves, all of which light up.

I do wonder if the appearance of my neighbours’ house could be putting prospective buyers off. Is this the kind of thing that could devalue a home? It does make it look as if we have rather wild neighbours, which won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.

Our own house isn’t in a bad state, but could probably do with a refresh, if I’m honest.

How can I get our house sold as soon as possible?

Jane Denton, of This is Money, replies: I think your focus should be on how your own property looks to prospective buyers and the level of graft your estate agent is doing to help get it sold quickly. 

While I appreciate you may not be best friends with your neighbours and find their decorations garish, don’t get distracted. 

You mentioned that your neighbours are lively. Do note that if you are embroiled in a more serious dispute with them, you are under a legal obligation as a seller to disclose this. If you don’t, the person who ends up buying your house could make a claim against you for misrepresenting the property. 

Assuming your neighbourly woes aren’t more serious than their taste in external lights, do consider refreshing your property pronto. 

Ensure that the space outside is clean and tidy and welcoming to prospective buyers. 

Internally, while you may not have the time, money or inclination to do any major works, focus on making sure the house is in the best shape it can be. A spot of decluttering and doing things like making sure any chipped paint or torn wallpaper is fixed, can go a long way. 

I’ve spoken to two property experts for their take on your question.  

Liam Gretton, owner of Liam Gretton Bespoke Estate Agent, on Wirral Peninsula, says: It’s a tricky situation, however one that’s definitely fixable. 

Selling a home quickly can feel stressful, especially when there are outside factors at play.

Your neighbours’ bold decorations might raise a few eyebrows, but honestly, they’re not likely to be the main issue.

Buyers know those kinds of things are temporary. Sure, it might make some people hesitate, however it’s not the kind of thing that would stop a serious buyer from making an offer if they love your home.

Instead of worrying about the neighbours, focus on what you can control. Make sure you are collaborating with an estate agent who values marketing and can highlight the positives of your home and area in different formats and across a variety of platforms.

You mentioned your home could do with a refresh, and this might actually be a bigger factor. Most buyers are drawn to homes that feel move-in ready.

Simple updates like a fresh coat of neutral paint, tidying up the garden, or even rearranging furniture to create more space can make a big difference. It’s all about helping buyers imagine themselves living there.

I’m a huge advocate of doing more than the basics. So, if your estate agent’s approach is just taking a few photos, putting together a fancy floor plan, and listing your property on portals, that’s probably part of the problem. 

If you want to sell quickly, here’s what I would suggest.

1. Check the price: Make sure your home’s price is competitive and based on factual evidence and not simply what you would like. Remember, the price is designed to entice buyers. An overpriced property, no matter how nice, won’t sell.

2. Boost first impressions: Tidy up the front of your house and make sure the interior feels clean, bright, and welcoming. A small investment here can pay off big time.

3. Open conversations: When you pick an estate agent you’re essentially employing them to do a job, and if they’re not delivering you should be able to walk away.

Remember, it shouldn’t be one-way conversation. It’s a collaboration – ideally, every few weeks you should be sitting down face-to-face with your estate agent for a marketing review and if their strategy isn’t delivering, ask them what else they’re doing.

If they don’t have a good answer, it might be time to find someone who can offer a more dynamic and proactive approach.

Selling a home is a team effort between you and your agent. With the right process and strategy, I’m confident you can find a buyer and make your move north to be closer to your mum. 

Jeremy Leaf, a north London estate agent and a former Rics residential chairman, says: We are probably looking at two different issues here, which you are merging together.

The main issue is that your home isn’t selling, so looking for reasons why this might be the case is much more important than just assuming it’s the neighbours’ fault.

Halloween and Christmas decorations on neighbours’ houses may be part of it, but you can’t control these, so the important thing is to get the presentation and price of your house correct to give yourself the best possible chance of finding a buyer.

Most prospective purchasers will appreciate that the decorations are a temporary state of affairs and not going to be there in January, February or March. They might even be welcomed by some prospective buyers, so it is difficult to say for sure that they are putting people off.

Before you consider altering the price, check everything else. 

Get a friend or relative you trust to give good advice to carry out an independent check on how your property looks online. Does it stand out from the crowd? Is it differentiated significantly to attract attention? 

With so much more stock on the market over the past few months, you need to stand out if you are going to sell. Only well-priced, attractive homes are inviting interest.

If an agent is marketing the property on your behalf, ask them what they think. Ask them whether there are similar properties attracting more interest than yours and if so, what’s their view on why this is. 

If you are not in a big hurry to sell, it may be worth taking your house off the market over Christmas and starting again from fresh in the new year. 

Many people have other things on their mind at this time of year so it can be more difficult to find a buyer. 

You could use the time to freshen up the appearance of your property so the photos look better, which might improve saleability, if not value. 

You will then be in a strong position to take advantage of the new influx of enquiries next year.

Finally, after all the above, consider the price you are asking. Look at similar properties which have sold near you and think about whether you are realistically-priced in that context.