A house down the street just sold, but yours is still on the market. Why can’t you attract a buyer? It’s a common question and the answers aren’t as much of a mystery as they might appear. These are seven of the most common reasons why houses don’t sell.
The price is too high
Many homeowners place too high a value on a house they have lived in and loved for years. It’s not always easy, but you have to look at your house from a buyer’s perspective. One way to get a more realistic idea of what houses are selling for is to look at recent sales in your area.
You CHOSE THE WRONG AGENT
Home sellers often think they are getting a better deal by choosing discount real estate services. However, you usually get what you pay for. Start looking for an agentwho will make an active effort to sell your house.
A poor first impression
It’s easy to overlook little things, but they are the first things prospective buyers notice. You don’t have to spend a fortune doing a complete makeover, but the outside of your home is what people notice first, and first impressions do last. Also, has your current agent organised professional photography of your home? This is the single most important part of any property campaign!
Too much personality
Your sense of style may suit you to a tee, but is it turning off potential buyers? When a home stylist stages a home for sale, they decorate it to suit the largest percentage of buyers. You want people who view your home to be able to visualise their families living in it. All those family photos on your walls and knick-knacks on your shelves may be working against you.
Inappropriate renovations
It’s fair enough to renovate your home to suit your lifestyle, but most buyers expect the garage to be a place for parking cars and the bedroom for sleeping. If you’ve turned a bedroom into a home theatre or the garage into a home office, consider returning them to their original purpose. It may seem obvious that the new owners could easily do these things when they move in, but yours is just one of many houses they’re looking at. If they don’t see what they want to see, they will look elsewhere.
You hang around for home inspections
It’s still your house, so why shouldn’t you hang around when your home is open for inspection? There’s one good reason: it puts prospective buyers on edge. They want to be able to speak freely to the agent and not feel your prying eyes. Stay away during inspections and let your agent do their job.
