Selling a home is stressful: prepping it, finding the right broker, making necessary repairs— all of it adds up to a lot of hassle for any homeowner. What can make things even more stressful are picky buyers: the ones that show up and immediately leave, or decide your home isn’t a fit due to something like interior paint color or even your own furniture.
While we can’t know everything that buyers decide to make or break a deal, we did want to see what a large number of buyers think about when it comes to their real estate deal breakers. To do that, we ran this survey.
Methodology
In February 2026, we surveyed 1,004 homebuyers and homeowners about their experiences purchasing real estate and what little things might make them walk away. 49% were women, 49% men, and the remaining 2% were either nonbinary or chose not to disclose gender; ages ranged from 18-78 with an average age of 41. 56% are based in the suburbs, 28% in urban areas, and 16% in rural areas.
1 in 4 Homebuyers Surveyed Take 10 Minutes or Less to Decide on a Home
If there’s one trend this survey highlights, it’s that first impressions definitely matter. Among the homebuyers and homeowners we surveyed, 25% said that they take 10 minutes or fewer on a tour to decide if a home is a fit. Not only that, but 27% said they go with their gut over pausing and thinking when it comes to buying a house.
Snap judgments also extend to dealbreakers in a home: 49% of current homebuyers and homeowners surveyed have walked away from a home immediately after seeing a minor issue. Some of the top immediate turnoffs in a home include:
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- Mold smell (89%)
- Uneven floors (77%)
- Smell of smoke (73%)
- Crooked walls (73%)
- Location on a busy road (63%)
Homes aren’t the only ones subject to snap judgment; 59% of those surveyed have walked away from a home due to bad impressions from the realtor, and 58% have done the same due to bad impressions from the seller.
Sometimes gut instincts do touch on something real: 14% have gotten a “bad vibe” from a home, only to discover it was a former crime scene. Researching real estate matters, and it’s important to know your state’s disclosure laws around prior property owners.
Other defects that arouse suspicion on the part of homebuyers include visible patches or obvious repair shortcuts, a conspicuously cheap listing relative to other area properties, a flipped house with no details on what renovations occurred, “off-limits” rooms on a house tour, and the overall sensation that everything looks “too new” in a home of its age.
Homebuyer Non-Negotiables
Given that 45% of respondents consider the “starter home” an outdated concept, more buyers are applying a “forever home” mindset to the properties they do end up purchasing.
Homeowners and buyers we surveyed are willing to pay more for location (30%), the home’s condition (21%), and more outdoor space (12%). In fact, outdoor space leads the pack of must-have non-negotiables for 56% of survey respondents on the market, followed by central air conditioning (54%), a quiet neighborhood (50%), natural light (43%), and a garage (38%).
How is the homebuying process going currently? Among those surveyed who are actively looking for a home, 40% have been looking for over six months. Just about a third (32%) discovered they had higher standards than they thought, which again points to the “forever home” mindset more buyers are taking– even if they’re buying their first home.
Negotiable home traits include age of home (43%), cosmetic defects (41%), and the overall size (36%). Necessary repairs, however, are more dealbreakers than negotiable: 75% say fear of costly repairs stops them from otherwise buying a home that fits their needs. This might be one reason 71% say a home warranty is a value-add to a real estate listing. Another difficulty of buying a home? Keeping the peace. 14% have fought with spouses about home preferences at some point during the home-buying process.
Past Owner Pet Peeves
Some homes have been subjected to choices that potential buyers simply don’t appreciate. Among survey respondents, the biggest pet peeves about prior owners include:
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- Years of deferred maintenance (25%)
- Botched DIY projects (20%)
- Cosmetic fixes to more serious issues (19%)
Additionally, nearly 1 in 10 get angry when they see a home with hardwood floors the prior owner chose to cover with carpet. Other so-called “homeownership crimes,” or actions that buyers felt ‘wronged’ the home, include cosmetic flips that intentionally hide problems (35%), badly done renovations (17%), and hoarding (15%).
Another 1 in 10 respondents say removing historic architectural features, like painting over brick fireplaces or removing stained glass windows, is a major problem for them. Some generations of owners are considered more guilty of this than others, with Millennials voted most likely to remove original charm, followed by Gen Z, Baby Boomers, and finally Gen X.
Conclusion
Homebuyers might be picky, but it seems the majority surveyed simply want a well-maintained home that can last a long time. One way to help keep your home systems and certain appliances in tip-top shape is to consider a home warranty – not only is it considered a value-add by 71% of those we surveyed, but even those not looking to sell any time soon can enjoy the peace of mind knowing their home systems are covered.
2-10 offers home warranty plans for any stage of the homeownership journey. To learn more, visit: Home Warranty Services by 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty.
For media inquiries, reach out to media@digitalthirdcoast.net.
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