"The best approach isn't trying to create a show home. It's presenting a clean, well-maintained property at the right price for its condition"
- Neil Louth - The Acorn Group
Homeowners across England and Wales may be making a costly miscalculation when preparing their properties for sale, according to research from LRG. While the assumption might be that buyers want move-in-ready homes, recent data shows that nearly 90% of buyers are willing to put their own stamp on a property.
The findings, drawn from LRG's autumn 2025 sales report – which surveyed 317 buyers and sellers – reveal distinct buyer profiles with varied appetites for improvement work. Only one in 10 buyers (11%) wants a finished property that requires no work whatsoever, raising the question of whether some sellers are preparing their homes for this minority rather than the majority.
“We're often asked by sellers how much they should invest in improvements before listing,” explains Neil Louth, Chief Executive Officer for The Acorn Group, part of LRG. “The data tells us that 33% of buyers are content with properties needing just a dash of paint, while 28% will happily tackle full redecoration and carpet replacement.”
Beyond the turnkey seekers and light decorators, 13% of buyers are willing to replace kitchens or bathrooms, whilst 15% are prepared to tackle full renovation projects. This suggests that the typical approach of creating a pristine, neutral property before sale may not always be the best strategy.
Kitchen and bathroom updates carry significant weight, with 76.6% of buyers stating that updated facilities within the last five years would encourage them to make an offer.
However, the data reveals that cleanliness (48.9%) also ranks highly and significantly more than touches like distinctive kerb appeal (23.4%) or planning permission for extensions (8.5%).
This doesn’t mean sellers should avoid improvements altogether. Strategic updates can add genuine value, but the emphasis is on strategy.
“It's about having that conversation with your agent,” explains Neil. “They know the local market and can advise whether a kitchen refresh will make a real difference to your sale price. Sometimes the investment pays off, sometimes it doesn't – and providing clients the right advice to achieve maximum value is vital.
“A mistake we often see is sellers assuming everyone wants what they do. Some buyers have the time and enthusiasm for a project, while others are looking for somewhere they can simply move into and enjoy. The key is having an honest conversation with your agent about which buyer segment your property naturally appeals to and preparing it accordingly.”
Rather than pursuing expensive, time-consuming renovations, in some cases, sellers might be better served by addressing the basics that matter across other buyer segments, such as cleanliness, well-maintained gardens (55.3% want an attractive outdoor space) and ensuring any obvious maintenance issues are resolved.
The research also challenges another common assumption that neutral decoration is universally desired. Only 27.7% of buyers want a ‘blank canvas’, while 14.9% specifically prefer stylish or unique decoration. For sellers, this could mean a feature wall or bold kitchen colour doesn't need painting over after all.
Neil concludes: “The best approach isn't trying to create a show home. It's presenting a clean, well-maintained property at the right price for its condition. Your agent’s job is then to provide the right marketing strategy to attract buyers and ensure it ticks as many boxes as possible for their desired home."
