One of the most common pieces of advice dished out to people selling their houses is to make sure they decorate with the would-be buyer in mind.

We are told that creating neutral colour schemes, removing family pictures, adding space-enhancing furniture and offering a generally clutter-free property is what is most likely to sell it. In short, a blank canvas onto which the prospective buyer can imprint their own lifestyle.

With the buyers expectations raised, what actually happens when you turn up to view a house and all this well-intentioned (if often impractical) advice has been ignored? What if the rooms are crammed with kids toys and painted in the owners favourite shades of turquoise and hot pink?

What if the downstairs loo is used as a storage cupboard and the wallpaper is curling at the corners, held up only by pictures of family holidays? Is it possible to see through the clutter? Is it worth persevering to reveal the home of your dreams, or should you just turn on your heels and leave?

In reality, buyers will visit a whole range of different properties, in varying states of decoration and, although it is easy to dismiss the ones that look a bit tattered and lived-in, these could be the hidden gems.

In fact, recent reports suggest that instead of wanting to see a house-doctored show home, many buyers prefer something that has a bit of room for improvement, so they can stamp their own personality on their new home. But what, exactly, should you be looking for?

Here are some ideas that may help you uncover the home of your dreams.

Mouldings:
Lots of older properties have plaster mouldings and ceiling roses that make lovely original features. If these have seen better days or need repairing, architectural salvage yards are a great place to get replacements. Or you may even be able to have them professionally restored.

Floors:
Carpet or lino can hide a multitude of sins, especially in older properties. If possible, take a peek underneath - you might just reveal some great floorboards or even an original parquet floor just waiting to be restored to its former glory.

Stairs:
Broken banister spindles can make the stairs and hall look tatty but they are relatively cheap and easy to replace. A good architectural salvage yard should have a selection or you could get a carpenter to make you some replacements.

Doors:
There was a fashion some years ago for cladding old panelled doors with hardboard - presumably to make them look more modern. Check to see whether the doors are hiding some original features by tapping them to see if they sound hollow or look along the edges and see if you can spot the join.

Fireplaces:
Everybody's favourite original feature is often hidden behind old gas fires or have simply been blocked with hardboard. In many cases, uncovering an old fireplace will reveal original tiles and fire surrounds that just need a bit of a clean to turn them back into the focal point of the room. However, if you are thinking of moving a gas or electric fire to see what's behind - always get a qualified gas fitter or electrician to do the job for you.