Top 8 Reasons Why Your House Won't Sell

Many sellers in this market have the "It's not me, it's you" mentality. Bottom line is, it's your house and no one cares about getting it sold more than you do. Here are the top 8 reasons why your house isn't selling:

• It's overpriced. It doesn't matter what you paid for it. It doesn't matter what it appraised for 6 months or 6 years ago. It doesn't matter what your neighbor's house is listed for. No one cares that you upgraded your carpet padding or paid extra for real wood instead of fake wood blinds. Your house is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it.

• Less-than-perfect-condition. Your property needs to shine inside and out. It needs to look like it was painted yesterday and cleaned with a q-tip today. Have it professionally staged and de-personalized. You want buyers looking at your house, not at your deodorant on the bathroom counter. You need every single person who walks through the door to be able to envision themselves living in your property.

• Your agent. You need an agent who isn't afraid to tell it like it is and aggressively market your property. If your property isn't on at least 25 websites, consider finding an agent who is technologically in this century. Also, if other agents do not like your agent, your property won't get shown. What is your agent's reputation amongst his/her peers? What do your pictures on the internet look like? If they look like a 6 year old took them, tell your agent to re-take them or have them done professionally.

• Your neighbors. Do your neighbors have 8 cars, a boat and a RV in the driveway? Do they only mow their lawn when they get a notice from the city? Do they leave their trash cans in front of their house? Do they park in front of your house? If they look good, you look good. If they look bad....well, you know. Have a talk with them and try working something out - maybe a nice gift certificate to dinner when your house sells. Mow their lawn yourself if you need to.

• Location. Are you on a busy street? Are you in a less-than-popular school district? If you are, you need to compensate for these factors by lowering your price.

• Curb appeal. Your landscaping needs to be perfectly maintained. No, ifs, ands or buts about it. Mow, edge, trim, weed....often. Plant flowers for color. Put a flag up. Get a nice new doormat and toss the nasty one you have been wiping your feet on for 5 years. Paint your front door and give it a shiny new doorknob. Fix your broken mailbox. Add fresh mulch.

• Odor. Ever walk into a house and get hit by a less-than-pleasant odor? Ask a friend you trust to give you the honest truth about your property's scent. If the news isn't great, start with the front entrance and clean with a strong cleaner. Have your rugs, carpets and uhpolstery cleaned and deodorized. Launder all of your draperies, blankets, bedding, throw rugs and shower curtains. Get the litter box out of the house if possible. Put a pet door in the door that goes from the house to the garage and keep the litter box in there. Take your dog(s) to the groomers. Better yet, send your furry sweethearts to live with grandma until the house sells. It doesn't matter how well you clean, if a potential buyer is allergic to cats, their eyes will be watering by the time they leave your house and it believe me, they won't be tears of joy.

• Flexibility. DO NOT be home when buyers come to see your home. Selling your house is a business transaction....treat it like one. If an agent wants to show your home at 9am on a Sunday, LET THEM! Nothing you have to do right now is more important than getting your home shown. Don't plan dinner parties in your house and don't decide that now is the time to become a gourmet chef. If you get sick and need to stay in bed all day, put your jammies on and lie on your friend's couch instead. Is it an inconvenience? Yes. If you can't deal with the inconvenience, move yourself to grandma's too.  If you absolutely MUST be home, STAY AWAY!  Do not give a tour of your home.  Do not talk about the "funny story" of the stain in your carpet.  A most importantly, do not follow the buyers and their agent around!

Tina in Virginia