When you first put your house on the market…you might be hopeful for a quick sale—especially if you’ve put a lot of money into improving the house over the years and if the neighborhood is one that has usually attracted a lot of buyers. While you shouldn’t panic if the house doesn't sell the
moment you list it…you should begin to worry if the months start flying by without any real offers.
If this is the case…here are a few reasons why your house may not be selling.
You overvalued your property
If your house is overpriced…it's simply not going to sell. Compare your property to similar properties that recently sold within your area to get a better idea of its true value. An experienced real estate agent can give you an accurate value of your home. Plus…don’t make the mistake of tacking on the cost of any renovations you made. You can't just assume that the cost of a renovation translates to added value.
Your listing presence online is poor
If the listing of your home includes a poorly written description without any images…a lot of buyers are going to skip over it. Make sure you and your REALTOR® put an effort into creating a listing that attracts the attention of buyers. Make sure to add high quality photographs of both the
interior and exterior of your home. Don't forget to highlight unique features as well. (I actually use a professional photographer)
Making it easily acessable for showings
Todays home buyer is impatient…they want to see homes when ‘they’ want to see homes! So make sure your listing gives the ‘appearance’ of being simple and easy to show. Once we get the showing request…we can then deal with getting them inside. Because if we can’t show your home…we can’t sell it.
You’re always present at showings
Let your agent handle your showings. Buyers don't want to have the seller lurking over their shoulder during showings. This puts unwanted pressure on the buyer..which will make them uncomfortable and likely chase them away.
You’re too attached
If you refuse to negotiate even a penny off your price…then there's a good chance that you’ve become too attached to your home. If a part of you doesn’t want to sell it…or you think your house is the best house in the world…odds are you're going to have a lot of difficulties coming to
an agreement with a potential buyer.
You haven’t had your home professionally cleaned
A dirty house is going to leave a bad impression on buyers. Make sure you have a professional clean your carpeting and windows before you begin showing your house.
Is there an odor?
We all have pets…but does your home have strong pet odors? After a good cleaning…I find that using the plug in air freshners with a motor in them…work wonderfully to keep things smelling good. But best to use the vanilla scent…no flowery fruity smells though.
You haven’t staged your home
Already moved out? Sometimes it’s best to not have a completely empty house…this makes it difficult for buyers to imagine living in it. Stage your house with some décor like pretty towels & plants to give your home a ‘warm’ feeling. You want the buyer to feel at home when they are taking the tour.
Strange or noisy neighbors
I wish I could count the number of times I’ve witnessed Buyers be turned off from a likeable home…only because of the neighbors ‘issues’, Cars parked in the front lawn…a backyard junk yard or even worse…the view of their dog kennel with 2 non stop barking dogs…yikes! Scary incidents during property viewings are common sources of Buyers being turned off…and not much you can do about it ?
Your home improvements are too personalized
You might think that the comic book mural you painted for your child’s room is absolutely incredible…but that doesn’t mean potential buyers will agree. If your home improvements are too personalized, it can scare off buyers who don't want to pay for features they don’t want.
Your home is too cluttered
Even if your home is clean…clutter can still be an issue. For example…maybe you simply have too much furniture in one of your rooms. This can make the house feel smaller than it is.
Your home is in need of too many repairs
The more repairs that are needed…the less likely a buyer will want your house. Many buyers simply don’t want to deal with the cost or effort of doing repair work…even if it’s just a bunch of small repairs…such as tightening a handrail or replacing a broken tile.
You chose the wrong real agent
In my opinion…choosing the right real estate agent is simply the most important decision you make in selling your home! A good REALTOR® makes all the difference in selling your home within a reasonable time.
All these things can be fixed once you realize your mistake…however…the longer your property stays on the market…the less likely it will sell at listing price. One of the best ways to avoid making these common mistakes is by working with a professional real estate agent.