DIY decor devalues dwellings

Estate agents reduce the selling price of a property by up to £3,000 if they dislike the interior colour scheme, a YouGov survey has discovered.

Seven out of ten estate agents would like to see a magnolia, neutral, backdrop within a property, yet less than two in five homeowners would describe their interior design that way.

Almost one million homes have a red or orange interior, which is the hardest to sell, say estate agents, and four in ten homeowners say that they had not thought that the colour scheme was important.

James Gore, spokesperson for Privilege Insurance, said: "As the housing market is very competitive, making internal changes can give homeowners a real competitive advantage when selling their home.

"However, it's important to remember that if homeowners are going to make significant changes they also need to inform their insurer, as it may lead to a change to their policy."

Andrea Mountford, a leading colour psychologist and interior designer, says that a magnolia decor gives an impression of space and lets buyers feel that they could clear out and start afresh.

24/01/2008 13:20:36