Manchester House Doctor

A neutral colour scheme a day will keep the house doctor away!

There’s a new doing the rounds in the homes of Greater Manchester, but unlike her medical counterparts, this particular doctor is more concerned with clutter and cleanliness than coughs and colds!

For Kathryn Burns is Manchester’s very own . Her new business  specialises in treating ‘sick’ houses, namely properties that have been on the market for a long period without offers. Kathryn’s service views the home through the eyes of a buyer, identifying problems that may hinder a sale and then prescribes her expert remedy. 

The new service can also provide practical advice on getting your house ready for market, project management and even mystery shopping to keep estate agents on their toes!

Instead of a stethoscope in her doctor's kit; Kathryn’s tools of the trade are an honest opinion and a keen eye for detail.

Kathryn explained: “I know exactly what sells and what doesn’t and I don’t hold back any punches with my opinions. They say that sometimes you’ve got to be cruel to be kind and nothing is truer than that in this line of work. People sometimes don’t like their homes criticised but they’re thanking me in the end when they are able to sell as a result of my advice.”

As part of the launch of Home Reporter, 500 Manchester house hunters were surveyed to find their biggest turn offs at a property viewing. And it seems decoration is key with garish colour schemes voted the biggest faux pas committed by a seller, with a cluttered or dirty house completing the top three no-nos.

The top ten home viewing turn offs as found by the Home  Reporter were as follows:

1. Tasteless colour scheme                      

2. Clutter                                                    

3. Dirt                                                            

4. Poorly decorated                                         

5. Bad odours     

6. Unfriendly seller

7. Worn furniture

8. Unkempt garden

9. Smelly pets

10. Worn and dirty carpets

Kathryn continued: “It’s no surprise that the survey highlighted the importance of first impressions. If a potential buyer walks into a house and is say confronted by a combination of brash colours it’s an immediate turn off. Neutral colours are by far the best. Leave the oranges and purples until you’re certain your won’t be moving again!”

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