It is common knowledge that factors such as location, neighborhood schools, and the age of the house itself will affect the overall value of your home. When it comes time to consider selling, it is important to keep these in mind as well as making the necessary appliance upgrades and infrastructure updates. What many don’t know, however, are the hidden factors that can oftentimes negatively impact your home’s value. Below are five such surprising kickers.

1. Pets

Although pets make a great addition to the family, they are not always the best idea for maximizing home resale value. Pets carry odors, which are difficult and costly to remove, and they also shed. Additionally, there is potential for them to damage the property in ways such as scratching wood floors or digging up landscaping in the yard.

2. Unique Interior Design

As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” However, a seller’s unique decorating style might not align with the taste of buyers who are in the market. Gaudy interior design, such as neon-colored walls or even outdated wallpaper, are hard for people to look past or ignore, and that could obscure their ability to envision themselves living in that house.

3. Risky Neighbors

While not the easiest to control, having irresponsible or dirty neighbors could influence buyers’ interest in living next door to them. If your neighbors make noise or are lazy about taking out the garbage, encourage them to do so to increase the value of your home.

4. Trees

Unbeknownst to many, the property has more value if it has mature trees. They add to the curb appeal of a home and provide privacy. If you have trees in your yard then definitely keep them there unless they are posing a threat to your house during harsh weather.

5. Smoking Inside

To many non-smokers, the smell of smoke is intolerable. Worth noting is that it is also very difficult to mask the smell even if you professionally clean your carpets and deodorize all the furniture. A word to the wise if you are a smoker is to take it outside to minimize devaluing your home.

Unless you plan on living in your home forever then it is advisable to keep an eye on everything that could affect its value. That includes owning a pet, decorating in a questionable style, managing your neighbors, taking care of the trees on your property, and smoking outdoors.

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