In most cases, once you list your home for sale, the sooner it sells, the better. The longer a property sits on the market, the less appealing it becomes to buyers, and this can lead to a lower sale price and other hassles for the homeowner.
These are the top reasons why your house isn’t selling and how you can resolve these issues to attract more buyers.
1. Your property is overpriced.
Price is the first consideration for buyers and the #1 reason a house is not selling. So work with an experienced real estate agent who can analyze local market trends and compare the sales prices of similar homes in your neighborhood to help you pick the perfect listing price. Sometimes pricing your home a little less gets more buyers interested and results in a bidding war, and you can end up selling at an even higher price.
2. Your listing photos are unappealing.
Potential buyers will view your property online before seeing it in person, so your photos set the first impression. Hire a professional real estate photographer to show your home at its best. And pay special attention to the order in which the photos are displayed online. Placing the best pictures first encourages buyers to keep scrolling through the others.
3. Your home is not showing well.
Whether your home lacks curb appeal, is too dated, or even has an odd smell, these will immediately turn buyers off.
Ensure your home's curb appeal by maintaining its lawn and gardens, power washing the driveway, and giving the front door a fresh coat of paint.
For staging the interior, you want the house to feel like a home but without clutter or too much personalization, like family photos and collectibles on display or over-styled decor.
Also, homes that look dated give buyers the impression that the property is not well-maintained. Research floor, wall, and furniture trends that make a home look outdated so you can make tweaks to give your home a more modern look.
If your home has an unpleasant smell, it will repel buyers. Cigarette smoke and pets are usually the culprits for foul odors. So if you smoke, do it outside and if you have pets, see if you can have them stay with a friend or family member in the days leading up to showings. To get rid of smells, try air fresheners and candles. If the odor remains, consider deep cleaning or replacing carpets.
4. Your home needs repairs.
If your house requires repairs, you will either have to fork up the money to get these things fixed or reduce your home price. Focus first on problems that potential buyers notice, like cracked walls, chipped paint, and leaky water faucets. Your stovetop, oven, and dishwasher should also be in good working order.
5. You need a better real estate agent.
There are great real estate agents and inexperienced ones who lack the necessary skills. If your current agent seems lazy or inept, it's time to find a new one.
When looking for a reliable real estate agent, ask others you trust for recommendations and read agent reviews online. Make sure they’re listed on the MLS and assess their experience by reviewing the number of similar homes they’ve sold in your area and the prices they’ve sold for. This should give you a good idea if they are competent for selling your home.
6. Your property’s MLS Listing has errors.
Check your MLS listing to make sure all the details about your home are correct. Mistakes happen, and your house may be listed as having the wrong square footage, number of bedrooms, or subdivision name. Buyers often filter their searches based on these characteristics, and any errors on your listing could prevent your property from showing up.
Have a home with issues you have to sell ASAP?
If you know your home has issues that are unappealing to buyers and it's not in your budget to fix them, you can consider selling your house to an as-is home buyer. An as-is buyer can give you a cash offer regardless of the condition of your home.
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