"It’s fair to say that St George’s Day is one day you should be able to put on a show of national pride without fear of being incorrectly labelled"
- Jason Harris-Cohen - Open Property Group
Quick sale specialists, Open Property Group, has found that while just 5% of people find the St George’s flag offensive, one in five homebuyers would be deterred from viewing a property if it was displaying the flag when they came to view it.
The survey of 1,028 current homebuyers, commissioned by Open Property Group, found that just 5% found the flag of the St George’s Cross an offensive symbol.
However, 16% did associate the flag with the far right, with 38% believing it should only be displayed at appropriate times such as sporting events and St George’s Day itself.
When it comes to flying the St George’s Cross from your home, you might want to think twice before doing so if you’re currently looking to sell up.
Open Property Group found that 27% of homebuyers would be deterred from house hunting in a particular area if there were numerous households displaying the St George’s flag.
What’s more, 21% would actually be deterred from viewing a house if they turned up to find the homeowner flying the St George’s Cross.
For those who might consider buying a property, 16% would refrain from offering the full asking price simply due to the seller displaying the St George’s flag.
CEO of Open Property Group, Jason Harris-Cohen, commented: “Our national flag has got a lot of stick over the years, largely due to the connotations it carries with respect to football hooliganism and the far right. It certainly doesn’t help that in England, the celebration of our patron saint is far more muted compared to other nations such as Ireland.
"But it’s fair to say that St George’s Day is one day you should be able to put on a show of national pride without fear of being incorrectly labelled.
"However, it’s important to note that it could well act as a deterrent to potential homebuyers if you are looking to sell. As with any aspect of selling a home, presenting a neutral canvas is often key as it’s not just the St George’s Cross that could put off prospective buyers.
"If you are struggling to sell due to an over-exuberant show of national pride from your neighbours on a regular basis, the quick sale route could be for you. At Open Property Group we’re certainly not deterred by the St George’s Cross when it comes to the homes we purchase.”
