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My Home Isn't Selling . . .

Written by Posted On Tuesday, 24 October 2017 13:13

Struggling to sell your house? Home sellers often wonder why their house isn’t selling. In many cases, the house could have been on the market for months without a single showings, or a handful of viewing without a formal offer.

It’s important to answer the question: why would a buyer purchase my property rather than other active sales?

Ask yourself: why would a buyer choose your home over the other homes for sale? When you start looking critically at your sale, you may realize a few reasons it isn’t selling.

Poor Property Condition

Check out homes that are pending sales, as that’s the most recent market indicator. You can also look at recently sold comps in the last few months. This will give you a base of comps to understand why your property isn’t selling.

When assessing the comps, see how the condition stacks up. Does your property have less updates than the competition? What about amenities, such as pool or central air-condition? Depending on your neighborhood, there may be “must have” features.

If you’re property is not as appealing and missing amenities common in the neighborhood, this could be the reason your house is not selling.

Poor Photography

Pictures are worth a thousand words. MLS photography is critical. Houses with dozens of professional photos can sell faster for higher prices. A skilled photography uses lighting and camera angles to make your home stand out from the competition.

Here’s some tips when planning your photography strategy:

  • (1) Take pictures of every bedroom. Buyers always look at the count of bedrooms and will notice if you haven’t taken pictures of each bedroom. This raises a “red flag” that perhaps that bedroom is in poor condition;
  • (2) Don’t include yourself or your reflection in the photographs;
  • (3) Kitchen, back yard, and gardens photos draw extra buyer attention;
  • (4) Photos shoud look “spacious” – leave out unnecessary furniture;
  • (5) Consider adding colorful language with each photography. 

Limited Marketing

Marketing is a big part of building awareness of your home sale. Simply listing on the MLS or a “For Sale By Owner” website may not be enough exposure. You want a coherent total marketing strategy. Here are a few marketing strategies to help a struggling house sell:

  • (1) Mail postcards to surrounding homes in the neighborhood; 
  • (2) Hand out color flyers with professional photos to those touring the home;
  • (3) Have a “virtual tour” video uploaded onto the internet;
  • (4) Open houses and broker opens.

Inexperienced Listing Agent

If you hired a realtor, make sure you are working with a skilled and experience professional. There’s a few ways to locate quality agents. Ask family and friends for referrals. Reach out to a “reputable” and well-known brokerages for top sellers. Conduct interviews of several realtor options.  Check out online reviews to ensure the agent satisfied previous clients.

You Haven't Priced Your Home to Sell

Selling property ultimately comes down to price. When you price higher than active listing and sold comps, of course your property will not sell. Once your home sits on the market for a long time it may be viewed as “damaged goods”. There must be a reason nobody has purchased it!

To avoid listing your house too high, carefully reviews the comps. Compare apples to apples. Even houses in the same neighborhood can be quite different. Living area, lot size, year built, amenities . . . these all impact sale price and should be considered when looking at the comps. 

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Earl White

www.househeroes.com

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