My Top 4 Reasons Your Home Does Not Sell Quickly

By Carol Marra CLHMS CRS e-PRO

Failing To Prepare the Home For Sale
Presentation is everything and even more so when you’re going to put your home on the market. Buyers often can’t imagine what the property will look like when it’s spruced up, so it’s up to you to put your home in mint condition. Giving your home “curb appeal” usually requires painting the front door, trimming shrubs and re-mulching beds.  Painting the inside and making sure the whole house is sparkling clean doesn’t cost much but could have a big payoff.  When buyers reach a certain amount of objections, they walk out. If your house has more objections than other homes for sale, it makes it difficult to get the buyer to choose yours. Every little improvement you can do to the home, to eliminate an objection, can be the difference of your home being on the market for several months or selling quickly. 

Overpricing Your Home
The value of your home is not determined by what you would like to sell it for, what you paid, how much money you put into it, or what you owe. The value of your home is determined only by what a buyer is willing to pay for it in today’s market by comparing your home to others that have recently sold, in your neighborhood.  Overpricing your home drastically reduces the chances of a fast sale, keeps other agents from showing the home, and helps to sell the competing homes. When buyers are looking for homes for sale, they are like all customers. They want the best available home at the best price. Buyers will compare your property to others on the market and they won’t knowingly pay too much.

Making It Difficult To Show Your Home

The more flexible you are in allowing realtors to bring their buyers into your home, the more your home will be shown and the faster it should sell. Avoid being home for showings. Potential buyers often feel uncomfortable with the seller present and will tend to hurry through your home. They will also be hesitant to ask questions or to open closets, etc., which they need to do, when making a decision about whether a house is right for them or not. Also take all pets out of the home during showings.

Choosing a Realtor from a Marketing Letter

Sellers will sometimes tell me they chose their agent from a marketing letter or chose an agent because they are a friend. I think it would be wise to interview several agents.  Here are some great questions to ask:

How many homes have you sold in my area or development?

How many years have you been selling real estate as a full-time agent?

Can you provide me with current selling prices for a home like mine and give me an estimate of what you think my home may sell for?