Is a Dining Room on a Buyer’s Wish List?

All buyers have a wish list. Some items on a wish list are practical, like wanting a third bedroom for a child on the way, or impractical, like coveting an indoor swimming pool, even though you can only afford a first-time buyer property. For the seller, it is often hard to know what a prospective buyer is looking for. You can decorate and renovate all you like, but unless you hand out a questionnaire to everyone who comes to view the property, you may not have a clue.

Dining rooms are a divisive feature. Some people love them, but many consider a formal dining room a waste of space. In days gone by, most families sat down together to eat an evening meal. Today, that is far less likely to happen. However, a dining room can still be a selling point if you play your cards right, so let’s take a look at what type of buyers might be interested in a home with a formal dining room, and in which instances you can afford to ditch the dining room table and chairs.

Dinner Parties and Formal Entertaining

Dinner parties are no longer as popular as they once were, as the modern generation prefers to vegetate on the sofa with a bottle of wine and a Netflix boxset. However, some people love to hold dinner parties and entertain their friends. If your buyers fall into this category, they are more likely to want a formal dining room.

Older couples tend to be more interested in a home with a dining room. These buyers have more money to spend on a property, so they are likely to be looking at larger, executive homes in a high-status area. If this accurately describes your property and you have a dining room, it is worth dressing it up with a smart table and chairs.

If you don’t currently use your dining room as a space to eat, consider investing in a table and chairs. You don’t need to buy a hand-made antique table or chairs. Instead, look at budget restaurant dining chairs from a commercial supplier and match them to a cheap wooden table. With a few smart accessories, such as a nice dinner service, glasses and candles, you can soon set the scene for a formal dinner party.

Flexible Living Space
To appeal to the maximum number of buyers, it is sensible to create a fully flexible space. Dining rooms should always be described as ‘dining rooms’ especially when they are adjacent to or open into a living room or kitchen. However, if your dining room is a completely separate room, it is worth marketing it as a study as well as a dining room.

To reinforce this point, add a desk and chair into the space, alongside your dining table and chair. The only reason when this is not a good idea is if the room is very small.

How to Attract Different Buyers
For example, if you are hoping to attract a family buyer, a dining room might be more appealing, but if your buyer is more likely to be a young professional, dressing the room as a study could be a better move. Alternatively, invest in a small table that takes up very little room and set it up to reinforce the point that this room is a very flexible living space. Families with small children may also like to use a dining room as a playroom, so if you have kids, put a few toys in there to show them how the space works.

Dining rooms are still a selling point, but make sure you stress how versatile the space is if you want to appeal to the maximum number of buyers.