What happens if my home is TOO HARD to sell?

Can a Home be "Too Hard" to sell? What factors would keep a home from Selling? Are any of them too big to over come? This question was asked to me by a MANCHESTER NH area home Seller who has not been able to sell his home. I sold his neighbors home and they told him to call me. Very bluntly he asked me "How I thought i would be able to sell his home when the biggest companies in the state could nlot do so?' My first task was to research his home, former listing sheets and go see it.

I found the old listings and scanned the listing sheets. The first had 1 picture and a very brief description. Not much of an attention grabber. The 2nd one also had no interior pictures but also no room size and again a brief description that may be over looked.

The key was to get inside. I pulled up, it was a classic Colonial style home. The yard covered with snow now had lots of things poking out in the front yard. The bushes were over grown and the screen/storm door looked sideways.

I went inside. The house was PACKED with stuff. Floor to ceiling. Each room was a different color. All the shades were closed. I walked through and took some notes. We sat down and the Seller barks out "We have no money to make any repairs.".

I started my discussion by thanking them for letting me even come over. It is not easy to sell and even harder when selling is not going well. I updated them on the market. Here we have a shortage of homes for sale and a steady supply of buyers. My Job is to attract buyers to their listing, get them to come inside, make them comfortable by answering their questions. and have them make an offer. The process starts with setting the correct asking price. The next step is getting the home ready to sell. I showed them some pictures of a home before and after staging. Most people do not know I used to plan, design and stage new construction model homes.

The advice started by boxing up everything they did not need to live day to day. The home was packed with furnishings from his parents home added to his furniture and belongings. They have a big garage and spotless basement they could use to store it on site to save money. Next was arranging what furniture was left so each room showed its large size and "flowed properly." Every drape would come down. Large windows let the light in. For less than $100 for paint and supplies the kids room painted black, the orange kitchen and lilac dining room will all be neutral. On the outside teh storm door was removed. The kids toys all picked up and the mower pried from the snow and put in the shed. Although winter, the bushes cut back so they were not touching the house or draped over the entry way.

They have some work to finish and are on track. NO home is TOO HARD to sell. It just takes the listing agent to take time and go ober with the seller ways to correct anything not deemed "perfect" for selling. 

You should know that All Agents are not created equal and every buyer or seller should take the time to hire the BEST not just the biggest. It is important agents ask the hard questions and communicate thoroughly with their Seller. I leave you with now infamous philosophy, which is simple, to provide more personal and professional service to guide my clients through each step of the buying or selling process. 

Our TOP TIPS IF YOU WANT YOUR HOME SOLD IN TODAY'S MARKET

1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT LISTING AGENT: As a home owner in this market you need every advantage you can to get your home sold. It starts with choosing the right agent.

a. Ask for a Full time agent whose sole job is to sell homes.

b. Ask for a Full service agent who will guide you through each step of the selling process. Discount brokers often equal discount services.

c. Ask for a Local agent who knows your neighborhood and is readily available when you need them is a must. Out of town agents can leave you high and dry in your time of need.

d. Ask for a well experienced Listing Agent can give you the advantages you need when selling your home. Not all agents are created equal. Choose only the best.

2. Ask to PRICE THE HOME CORRECTLY: One of the most important things that can help you sell your home is pricing it right. . List prices need to be priced at or near market value. The simple truth is over priced listings are one of the only segments of the market that are not selling. A great agent will study the recent sales, study what is on the market and use trends and comparable homes to place a value on your property.

3. Ask for an agent with a great marketing program - GETTING A BUYER TO SEE YOUR LISTING: Before anyone can view your home, they have to know it is for sale. Using an agent with an extensive marketing and advertising program is the best start to get your home the exposure it needs and deserves. Some agents whose sole marketing plan is placing a sign in your yard and placing the home in MLS is not a sound marketing plan.

IN CONCLUSION: There is a lot of behind the scenes work going on to get a house on the market, marketed, get an offer, go through the buyers mortgage process, appraisal, inspections and get to the closing of the home. If you did not notice most of these steps, I did a great job.With the decrease in Listings, there is pressure on Listing Agents to provide more service. For agents who have been providing a great service to their clients throughout the last 4-5 years they are being rewarded as home sellers and buyers talk, they let each other know who did the great job or who dropped the ball. As you see it is no accident a home sells. It is through the hard work of the agent.

If you are looking to SELL a property in NH, you can choose ME. I strive to offer the best in personal and professional service through EACH step of the SELLING process.