If you are prepping your property for a spring sale, understanding what homebuyers do not want is as important as knowing that granite countertops add to a home’s appeal. What home features take the top spots on the perennial list of undesirables?

Wall to wall carpeting has gone from “we can live with it for a while” to “let’s keep looking.”

Across generations, today’s homebuyers want hard surface flooring, preferably hardwood. Carpeting is seen as a magnet for allergy causing dust, dirt and stains that can’t stand up to the demands of households with children or pets.

If your budget won’t allow for removal and replacement with wood or one of the fabulous new laminates, at least have all carpets professionally cleaned to eliminate any stains or odors. And if you are lucky enough to have the original wood floors underneath wall to wall carpeting, by all means, pull it up and refinish the wood. Nothing could be finer in a homebuyer’s eyes than the sight of gleaming new hardwood flooring.

Popcorn acoustic ceilings are a dreaded deal breaker. Popular in the 60’s and 70’s as a way to soften noise levels inside a home, they immediately label a home as “dated.” Not to mention that homebuyers know acoustic ceilings may contain asbestos, an environmental hazard that can be expensive to remove. No one wants to deal with the laborintensive, messy and costly removal of popcorn ceilings, so if you really want to sell for top dollar step up and do it before showing your home.

Wallpaper is a design trend we see returning to home décor, from traditional to contemporary geometric patterns. It is a personal choice, however, and your love for Waverly florals may not be what your potential homebuyer would choose for their midcentury modern look.

And since wallpaper was big in the 80’s, what we usually see when showing is wallpaper that is way past prime time. Buyers do not want to inherit your style, and see existing wallpaper as one more expensive fix. Hire a professional to strip it off and repaint.

Having many small rooms instead of the open concept floor plan that brings kitchen, dining and family rooms flowing into one open space continues to vex homebuyers viewing our inventory of 50’s and 60’s built properties.

Sellers can go an extra step and consider removing interior walls to open existing floor plans. Even if you don’t go ahead with any structural modifications, knowing which walls are load-bearing and which are not can be useful information to potential homebuyers.

The current low inventory of homes for sale does help homebuyers overlook these unwanted property features but prepare to take a small hit on the price if you can’t eliminate them before showing.

Adriana Donofrio Podley Properties Glendora (626) 926-9700 adrianad@podley.com