House-proud neighbours can help to sell your home

TAKE a good look at the place next door when you’re selling your home – because you could get a much better price for your property if the neighbours look after theirs.

A well-maintained home next door typically adds 12 per cent to the sale value of a property, according to a survey by Churchill Insurance.

The opposite is true as well, however, with selling prices reduced by an average of 13 per cent when properties next door are a mess. Broken or boarded-up windows can be particularly damaging to a seller’s hopes of securing their asking price, the research revealed.

Rubbish that’s been left to pile up in front of the house, an overgrown garden or a rundown car in the driveway next door can also be bad news. Overflowing gutters and unsightly extensions complete the list of eyesores likely to drive down asking prices.

Martin Scott, head of Churchill home insurance, said: “Relatively minor issues such as maintaining gardens and keeping external paintwork in good condition could increase property values in the area generally, putting pounds in homeowners’ pockets when they come to sell.”