In many parts of the country the real estate market is hot, hot, hot, with some areas experiencing bidding wars and near record-breaking prices. So if your home is languishing on the market for more than 60 days there is probably a good reason that might not be apparent to you. Do any of these top 10 reasons your home hasn’t sold ring true for you?
10. Too difficult to show. Believe it or not, this is more common than you think. If you have no lockbox and limited or very specific times that the house can be shown the chances are that you’re missing buyers. Buyers and their agents schedule blocks of time to view homes. If yours can’t be shown, trust me, the agent will find another home to show them.
9. Bad DIY. While we all like the idea of upgrading our homes with interesting features such as crown molding, fresh paint and a tile back splash, there are simply some people who shouldn’t be allowed in Home Depot. Poorly joined molding, sloppy paint jobs, and uneven tile work is a real turn-off to buyers who will only see more items to fix. If you don’t have the skills, admit it and hire a professional.
8. Inadequate marketing. Today, over 90% of home buyers start their search online. If your MLS listing is not well syndicated and appearing on the major real estate sites, you’re limiting your exposure potential. Can the listing be viewed on a mobile device? Can someone send a text to reach a property website? Ask your agent about open houses, direct mailing and everything they are doing to drive traffic to your listing. If you’re trying to sell yourself, it might be time to speak to a professional.
7. Too taste specific. No matter how much you love that red accent wall and the black and white floor tiles, or the flocked wallpaper gracing the bedroom walls, it is too taste specific, and again spells ‘work’ in the eyes of the buyer. Yep, it may seem boring, but go neutral and let a buyer focus on the rooms and floor plan, not everything they’d want to change.
6. Deferred maintenance. Unless you have priced your home to reflect deferred maintenance, fix it! Holes in walls, the door jam the dog likes to chew, ripped window screens, dirty woodwork and even missing outlet covers are red flags to buyers. As they view the house, the adding machine in their head is calculating the costs and they also start wondering what else might require work. It is worth the money to have a professional inspection done and fix the major items or get ready to accept a much lower price.
5. Poor curb appeal. Surprisingly, many sellers are so focused on getting the interior ready, they forget about the exterior. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had buyers drive by and look at the exterior of a house and decline to see the interior. Clean it up! Plant a few new flowers, keep the lawn mowed, touch-up paint and make sure the walkway is clean and trip-proof.
4. Clutter, clutter, everywhere. Almost nothing is more distracting to a buyer that piles of personal belongings. It screams, “This home doesn’t have enough storage!” Having your home on the market is a pain, especially with a family. Suck it up and get everyone involved. Make the beds, pick the clothes up off the floor, wash the dishes and put away the toys. The more often you de-clutter, the sooner you’ll sell.
3. Smells. This one always surprises me, but when you enter a home for the first time you are taking it all in, with all of your senses, including the smells. Unfortunately, many pet owners and others have become so used to the smells in their home that they don’t notice it. Ask for the honest opinion of your agent and then take action to clean, sanitize and deodorize as necessary. Buyers running out the front door because of the stench is never a good first impression.
2. Location. Ah, this is a tough one. You can’t change location, but perhaps since you purchased the traffic has increased and it has become noisy. Accent the positive in your listing; proximity to shopping, schools and freeways can be a plus, even with traffic and noise. Neighbors with deferred maintenance however, can be a problem for everyone and best dealt with on a one-to-one basis.
And the #1 reason your home hasn’t sold …..
1. Price. No surprise here. No matter how much you spent on that pool and BBQ island, or the kitchen remodel it has nothing to do with the current value of your home. Price is market driven. Always. And no matter how much marketing you do, an over-priced home won’t sell. Even when the market is hot, there is a threshold of upper limits. You can push it, test it and even try to stretch it, but in the end the market will dictate the price. So if you actually want to sell your home, listen to your agent and be realistic in your pricing.
Ready to sell your San Diego County home? Call me for a free, no-obligation market analysis.
Photo courtesy Rigley Realty Group
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