Here are the Top reasons your house might not be selling as quickly as you would like:
Here at Solutions we often get asked by both our listing and purchasing clients why a house isn’t selling. Selling a home in today’s market may turn out to be more than a real challenge. In order to best position yourself, why not ask the following questions. (These are important, because a Buyer will also be asking them.)
Do you have your property that’s been on the market for a few months and nothing seems to happen? The first thing is to ask yourself “Why?” Try to put yourself into your Buyer’s shoes and determine why there’s so much hesitation and lack of response.
The most frequent scenarios when dealing with houses that don’t sell are: few visitors or no visitors at all, or the opposite case – not receiving a serious offer even though you’ve had dozens of viewers.
In order to save money, you need to know what mistakes you must avoid. Keep in mind that there will always be homes that will sell fast and properties that will rest for several months in a row with no serious buyers. If you’re in the second category, then you’re right to have reasons to worry.
So, let’s study the causes why your house isn’t selling. If you make all the right moves, your house should attract not only visitors, but also Buyers. Here are the most common mistakes:
- You put an exaggerated price
Studying the market, and putting a price that matches the real estate conditions of that period of time, is a must.
If, after getting that initial listing price from your listing agent you decide to go higher, you may want to rethink that strategy if you get little showing activity. Making this all too common mistake will only cost you more money than you have initially anticipated.
An exaggerated price will only scare off potential customers, which will end in not even getting to see your property at all. If you’re a Seller under financial pressure, then try to detach and see the matter from an objective point of view.
- Your house isn’t in its best possible shape
Curb appeal matters more than you could ever know. In order to sell your property faster, get it in its best shape. If you receive a visitor and your property doesn’t impress, then for sure you’re doing something wrong.
Selling your home involves preparation, staging, decluttering, a good marketing and well-thought strategies. You should reach every visitor you have and make him/her remember the property in a good way.
- You haven’t hired a listing agent
Choosing to sell your house without a listing agent is definitely much more difficult, and isn’t advisable, as you don’t have enough experience for such a huge project. Let professionals do their job.
Specialists state – a good listing agent will help you take the best decisions and, more than that, he/she will facilitate the entire selling process.
- You’re still doing repairs
Either minor or major repairs are a genuine ‘no-no’ while your visitors come and go. No one would enjoy visiting a property that is under construction. It really needs to be in the best possible shape before Buyers get inside as you need to make them imagine the place as theirs.
- Poor marketing
With poor marketing or no marketing at all, your house doesn’t stand a chance in front of millions of other similar properties online or in the MLS. As much as you think you know how to advertise it properly, you need more than that – you need an expert’s advice.
Your Solutions agent does have that wider marketing knowledge. He/she knows how to market it effectively. If you’ve made this mistake already, then here is the reason why your house is still on the market. Get a competent real estate agent, like one from Solutions, to help you, and fast!
- Your house is never ready for showing
Once you put your house on the market, then it must be ready for visitors. If it’s not ready to receive visitors, then it’s not ready to be sold and marketed.
Consequently, we can all agree that selling a house takes work, time, patience and preparation. Experts stress that once you’ve succeeded in attracting visitors to your house, then you must amaze them – they must remember your home.
- You have a bad listing description or bad shot photos
Both your photos and your description are vital to sell your home. It’s the image your visitors will see once they begin their search online. What do you have to do?
Provide what they are looking for, a dream house. How? Through good-quality photos and a description that will match the story. First impression matters.
- You don’t want to show your house to your audience
If you’re reluctant to show it to your visitors, then why did you put it on the market? The first question that will arise in your Buyer’s mind will be – “Is it really for sale or not?”
Taking into account the huge number of fake listings out there, with this type of mistake your property will get a negative feedback that can never be wiped away; don’t get into this unfortunate situation.
- You interfere too much in the selling process
You follow the Buyer wherever he/she goes, while visiting the property. He/she must feel at ease when visiting your house, must make up his/her mind without your “help”, and if you get in his/her way the Buyer might feel uncomfortable and believe you have something to hide.
Try to let your emotions outside the scene and the best advice would be – “Don’t be at home when you have potential Buyers visiting it, let your agent do his/her job.” Once you’ve put the house on the market it means you’re ready to sell it.
- You don’t let your agent do his/her job
Your agent is a genuine professional. You don’t need to show him/her what to do to sell your property. Once you’ve hired him/her, then relax and step back and let them do their job. Get this idea out of your head and take emotion out of the equation. Give him/her the keys and move on. Wait for feedback.
- You don’t want to negotiate the price
Your initial price is not the one that will remain until the end. Get this idea out of your head, it usually never happens. Be ready to negotiate.
Put the price a little bit higher than you would normally accept. This will leave you some space for negotiation. There are few Buyers out there that will not try to lower your price.
- You don’t know what improvements to make
If you don’t know what to do to improve the general appearance of your home, then ask for some professional advice. An interior designer or a landscaper will certainly give you some useful hints. Keep in mind – there’s always place for improvements, irrespective of how nice your property looks.
- You haven’t depersonalized or decluttered it
You should make it as easy as possible for your visitor to visualize himself/herself living there. For this to happen, you need to depersonalize it. Why? It’s difficult for your visitor to imagine his/her own personal touch among photos of you, personal items and diplomas all over the place. Keep in mind – the right presentation and the proper exposure are everything.
- You have extravagant tastes
An extravagant house will sell more slowly. The more neutral your house looks, the faster it will sell. Your house must appeal to a broader audience; the more extravagant your tastes are, the harder it will be for you to find a suitable Buyer.
Take a step back and objectively think why you have troubles selling your property. To maximize your chances, you need to see where you’re making your mistake. Is it one of the above mentioned ones?
The first thing you need to do is to find yourself a professional real estate agent, like one from Solutions. You need a competent, experienced and honest expert by your side, unless you want to keep the property on the market a long period of time. If you’re serious about selling your house, then emotionally detach yourself.
With just a few changes you’ll be able to sell your property too, and fast.
