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Your Home Isn't
Selling Because...
 Your home has languished unsold on the market for months, but you can't fathom why.
Chances are, you've overlooked what buyers really want.
Let's take a look in more detail at some of those issues you might have overlooked.
 Your price is too high - This is the number one reason your house isn't selling. Sure, you are attached. Your home is where you raised a family and created memories you can't put a price on.
However, today's buyers are more savvy than partial to your emotions. They
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Mortgage Rates
U.S. averages as of April 25, 2013:
30 yr. fixed: 3.40%
15 yr. fixed: 2.61%
1 yr. adj: 2.62%
View current rates
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either won't look at over-priced properties, or when they do, they'll make a low-ball offer, way below market value.
If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days, it's time to review and adjust your price.
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The Low-Down On
Big Down Payments
 You can buy a home with as little as 3 percent down, thanks to federal government loans and others with eased restrictions.
Low-down payment mortgages are an effort to extend home ownership to more people and to help some out of mortgages they can’t afford. However, low-down payment loans can be tricky and leave homeowners struggling to pay what they thought was affordable financing.
It’s a much better option to bite the bullet, spend some time really preparing to buy a home with 20 percent down. Here’s why.
Up-front equity. A substantial down payment gives you an instant equity advantage.
Most homeowners invest in a home largely because they want to have equity in a stable investment so, the more that you can put down, the better. You’ll be able to better weather any downturns in the market and you’ll likely avoid going "underwater" (owing more than your home is worth) on your investment.
That gives you some financial security.
Better rates. Generally, more money down means you’ll be able to secure a better interest rate.
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What Buyers Really Want In A Home
 Size matters, according to the recent survey by The National Association Of Homebuilders. It seems buyers are now seeking homes that are approximately 2,000 square feet, but the problem is half of U.S. homes are nearly 40 years old and don't have many of the amenities buyers want.
NAHB says that only about one-third of the current homes on the market have 2,000 or more square feet of livable space. NAHB writes on its website, "Existing homes, on the other hand, are more likely to be under 1,600 - or even under 1,200 - square feet, a size relatively few buyers say they want."
So what does this mean for sellers whose homes might not be in that 2,000 square-foot-sweet spot? Will buyers just shun your home and continue on to find the home that meets their square footage requirements? Well, that depends.
Size, like location, is a very important consideration. However, both of these areas are often open for negotiation and buyers may consider sacrificing one aspect in order to achieve a more important amenity.
For instance, if the home is smaller than the buyers were originally looking for but is in an area that has the best school district and the potential for expansion, then suddenly this home becomes more appealing.
However, in order to market a home properly, you have to find out who your target is. If you reference this recent survey, then you can assume size matters. If your home falls short in this
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Energy Efficient Homes Save Energy And Homeownership
 Homeowners who buy energy efficient homes or upgrade existing homes for greater energy efficiency also get more sustainable homeownership built right in, according to a new study.
The odds of a mortgage default on an Energy Star-rated home are one-third lower than a default on a mortgage for a home without the rating, according to "Home Energy Efficiency and Mortgage Risks," by the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill Center for Community Capital and the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting energy efficiency.
Why? Energy efficient homeowners have more money to notburn.
The joint UNC-IMT study examined 71,000 mortgaged homes from 38 states
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