WHY IS MY HOUSE NOT SELLING?

There are generally two main categories to look at when a home is not selling.

1. You are not getting any showings.
2. You are getting lots of showings but no offers –- or very low offers.

Determine which of these two conditions applies to your situation. Usually it’s one or the other, but at times it can be both.

No Showings

• The price is too high.
• People are avoiding it because it’s so high that they feel an offer they make for what they feel is an appropriate price wouldn’t even be considered.
• The price is too high. It’s not appearing in search results done by potential buyers in your target market. When most buyers and their agents search for homes, they will enter search parameters, with price being the top one. For example, they might enter $200,000 - $300,000. If you have your home priced at $315,000, you are going to miss those buyers.
Another point worth mentioning here too is that if you ultimately think your home is worth $300,000, list it at $299,000 so that it makes it into that search parameter I mentioned above.

• Your home or listing is not showing or presenting itself well.
• Your home might not be showing well in photos on the Internet. Over 90% of people find homes by searching online. Make sure your pictures are crisp and clear and highlight the positive features of your home. Don’t skip this important step.
• Your listing is incomplete and/or inaccurate. You want buyers to have the information they need. If something important is missing, such as the school district, instead of calling and asking, they might skip it because they can’t be bothered calling or emailing someone to find out. People want instant results these days.
• Your home does not have good curb appeal. Most people will drive past homes they are considering touring to save time. If they don’t like what they see on the outside, they will not have their agents schedule an appointment to view the home.

 

 Not many buyers would be impressed if they walked into a home and saw this.

Copyright2007 by Evelyn Giggles

 

Homeowners might be turned off by the bright colors and decor of this home.

Copyright  2009 by Pink Sherbet Photography

Showings But No Offers

• Buyers feel the price doesn’t match the value of the home.
  After seeing the home, the buyers may feel the price is not realistic or comparable to similar homes in the area. Buyers will make these comparisons and do that research.
• When buyers do visit, the home is not showing well in person.
  Usually this happens when a home is not staged. The home just doesn’t appeal to them. Your home might need too much work for what the buyers feel they are capable of doing or for the price that is being asked for the home. The house may be dirty or have distinct smells or odors. The style or flow may not work with the buyers’ needs. This is something that is really hard to see in pictures.
• The online pictures were deceptive and made the home look better than it actually was.
  You might be saying, “Wait, you told me I need to show my home to its best potential?” Yes, but the pictures have to be truthful and accurate. You don’t want to show gorgeous mountain views if the only way to see them is to drive up to the top of your road -- unless you make sure buyers fully understand this. Maybe you had pictures from years ago when your home was in better condition than it is now. Either way, buyers are more upset and disappointed than if you had just showed the actual, genuine pictures in the first place -– or not included them at all. If they come there expecting to see an average looking room, they are more accepting of it than if they are expecting an immaculate space, only to find out that it isn’t.
• Another problem is deceptive listings.
  This really, really aggravates me -– and most buyers. I just experienced it recently. Common deceptive information that appears on listings can include just about anything, but here are some common examples.
• Square footage
  Be accurate about what is finished and unfinished square footage.
• Bedrooms
  If a room doesn’t have a closet, it is not considered a bedroom. Also, be honest if 2 bedrooms are connected so that you can only get to the second by walking through the first.
• Basements
  If you have a separate room in the basement that you want to advertise as a bedroom, make sure it has an exit route. Otherwise, this cannot be considered living space. The exit could be a door or egress window (not those typical tiny basement windows). If the room is off a family room with sliders out to the backyard, this does not count. The window or door must be in the actual room.
• Garage
  When someone sees a description for a 2-car garage, they assume it’s a garage where 2 cars can pull in side-by-side. If it’s a tandem-style garage, you should state this on the listing. If I’m looking for a home with a 2-car garage and I see one that’s tandem and it wasn’t noted, I’m going to be annoyed.
• Unfinished spaces
  It’s perfectly okay to say that the home has the potential to have 2 more bedrooms if the upstairs is finished. However, do not include that as a definite in the listing, "This home has 4 bedrooms." Put in the description, "This home has 2 bedrooms with the potential for 2 more if the unfinished space upstairs is finished and converted to bedrooms.”

Deceptive or questionable pictures or information just leaves a bad taste in buyers’ mouths and they question whether they really want to do business with sellers (or an agent) that is dishonest.
Take a look at the above reasons and see if one of them maybe explains why you’re home is not selling. This may not be easy and you may have to take an honest, objective look at your home. But all the effort will be worth it when you end up with a successful, profitable sale.