4 Dining Room “Icks” That Instantly Turn Off Homebuyers, According to Real Estate Pros

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4 Dining Room “Icks” That Instantly Turn Off Homebuyers, According to Real Estate Pros

Caroline Lubinsky

published 2 days ago

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[Eclectic dining room with carved wooden table opens onto rear garden]

Credit: Andreas von Einsiedel/Getty Images

When it’s time to sell a home, a dining room may get less attention than the kitchen or primary bathroom, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Dawson Boyer, owner and broker at Providence Hill Real Estate, says the dining room is actually one of the first rooms a potential buyer will see. “It sets the stage for the rest of the experience,” Boyer explains. Basically, if the dining room feels off, it can lead to a buyer side-eyeing the entire house.

I chatted with three real estate pros — who see more homes per year than you can imagine — to find out which dining room features give them the “ick” when touring a home with buyers. The great news: Most of their biggest turnoffs are pretty fixable, and none of them need to be remedied with expensive renovations.

4 Dining Room “Icks” to Avoid, According to Real Estate Pros

Credit: Aleks Kend/Shutterstock

Cracked Crown Molding

Boyer has a bone to pick … with poorly maintained crown molding. And it’s mostly because potential buyers aren’t fans, either. “If a dining room has crown molding and the home is older, then it’s likely that the caulk between the crown molding and the ceiling is cracked,” Boyer says. “These cracks always catch the buyer’s attention and are an eyesore.”

This can trigger a chain reaction in the buyer. If they already notice cracks in the first room of the house, then the seed of doubt about up-to-date maintenance has been planted (the drama!).

Luckily, Boyer says this is a fairly inexpensive, easy issue to fix. Prior to putting your house on the market, Boyer recommends getting a painter to re-caulk the crown molding. It’ll only take a few hours, and the results could be the difference between you landing the sale or not.

Credit: karamysh/Shutterstock

Dated Light Fixtures

All three real estate pros said they cringe whenever they see an out-of-style chandelier or sconce in a dining room. Boyer specifically dislikes brass chandeliers, which were popular in the ’80s.

Kate Penkova, real estate agent at Compass, groans internally when she sees a massive, low-hung chandelier (especially if it’s dated) in a dining room. “It immediately dominates the room, messes with scale, and subconsciously makes buyers feel like the ceiling is lower than it is,” Penkova says. “Instead of seeing the space, they see the fixture. It steals the focal point.”

To remedy the situation, it’s best to replace it with something neutral and in-style, while also hanging the fixture at an appropriate height. “Buyers forgive a lot when a space feels good, and lighting is one of the biggest drivers of that feeling,” Penkova adds.

Gerard Splendore, a real estate broker at Coldwell Banker Warburg, would like to stop seeing dusty, partially broken crystal chandeliers in listings, thank you very much. Besides changing the “dusty” fixture itself, Splendore says adding adjustable light dimmers in the dining room is a thoughtful play for buyers, and it’s not a super difficult project. “Dining requires low-level lighting, making candlelit dinners desirable,” Splendore says. “Homework and projects require higher levels of light.”

Credit: John Keeble/Getty Images

Tired Built-Ins

Built-ins can be wonderful — when they’re thoughtful and well done. But when it comes to out-of-style, bulky built-ins, Splendore and Penkova do not appreciate them. “Elaborate built-ins that are dated in style, hardware, paint, or laminate color will turn buyers off,” Splendore says. “A built-in bar or glass-fronted storage that is overscale or takes up too much space will not help sell the house.”

If the built-ins feel like they’re boxing the room into a specific look, removing them before listing could be a smart move. Full demo just not in the cards? No sweat! Consider stripping the layers of paint off of your built-in. Splendore says he sees tons of built-in corner cabinets that are buried under years of thick paint, which makes them feel heavier and more dated. Stripping back those layers and repainting in a simple color can go a long way in helping the room feel more open (and easier for buyers to imagine as their own).

Credit: Pipas Imagery/Shutterstock

A Bold Wall Color or Busy Wallpaper

If there’s one ick Boyer is tired of, it’s a bold wall color in a dining room. Luckily, this is easy to remedy: Simply paint the dining room a neutral color before throwing your house on the market, Boyer says. And the same rings true for printed wallpaper.

“Wallpaper can be expensive and tends to be very specific to the person who selected it,” Boyer says. “Consequently, wallpaper can make a space seem dated or project a lower value if it is too specific to the seller.” If possible, remove any “loud” wallpaper from your dining room before listing. It’s an easy way for buyers to really envision themselves in the space.

Do you have any dining room “icks” to add? Let us know in the comments below!

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