As house prices fall, buyers are becoming far fussier and are no longer settling for less than what they truly want ? all the more reason for sellers to make their homes as appealing as possible.

Saul Geffen, CEO of ooba, says that sellers should be mindful of the "mood of selectiveness and increased desire for value for money" that currently pervades buyers? mindsets.

"It?s a lot different to a few years ago," notes Geffen. "Buyers are now looking very carefully at properties and spending more time 'kicking the tires'.

"House prices are falling, so sellers should do all they can to present their property as attractively as possible to meet buyer preferences and realise full value on their properties."

Here are nine crucial things that will make a potential buyer want to pay less:

  • Rooms overcrowded with furniture

    It might seem cosy to you, but if there?s no space to even turn around it?s not going to appeal to someone who likes space ? and everybody likes space.

  • Bright carpets with patterns

    You might be nostalgic for the 70's and retro is certain to be popular again someday, but carpets from decades past may not be your buyer?s psychedelic dream.

  • Badly-built extensions

    If your home has an awkward extra room that disrupts the flow and form of the house, it?s not going to appeal to many people even though it means extra space.

  • Carpets in the kitchen or bathroom

    This is probably quite an icky thing in most people?s minds and buyers will be thinking of the cost of removing the carpets. It might also lead people to think that you?re trying to hide something underneath.

  • Too many clashing colours

    If your interior decorating looks like it was done so no colours felt left out, potential buyers may be looking for some money off.

  • Garden gnomes

    Hide, hide, hide. Some people may think they?re really cute, but why take the risk of turning off buyers before they have even stepped inside?

  • Lime scale and dirt in the bathroom

    When your potential buyers peer into the bathroom and see grime everywhere, they may well question what other surprises are tucked away and what else is in poor condition.

  • Gloomy lighting

    Poor lighting can give a rather depressed ambience to any home. Bright equals cheerfulness so good illumination is a must.

  • Dirty light switches

    If you haven?t cleaned your light switches for a long time, then be warned; to a potential buyer it could suggest that the wiring might be bad.

Says Geffen, "Although you may currently have one or more of the things listed above in your home, fixing them is a lot cheaper than ignoring them."