On average, a home spends 29 days on market (DOM). By day 30, that means you’re tearing out your hair desperate to know, “Why isn’t my house selling?”. You start to wonder about all the people who have come to view your home.
Getting your home ready and putting it on the market is an exciting and stressful time. The first few times the realtor calls to schedule a viewing, your hopes skyrocket. But four weeks and a dozen viewings later, you’re starting to worry that your home is never going to sell.
Next thing you know, your realtor utters the dreaded phrase, “it’s a buyer’s market right now.” Before you give up all hope, read on to learn about some of the typical reasons that homes don’t sell and how you can improve your listing.
You’re Wondering “Why Isn’t My House Selling?!” And We’ve Got Answers
It’s understandable to feel panicked when your house isn’t selling according to the timeline you envisioned, especially when you’re waiting to move into your new home. Spend some time reviewing these problems and adjust your strategy until you find something that works.
Your Photos are Terrible
Okay, that may be a bit harsh but if your house is poorly photographed, it just isn’t going to sell. Consider that over 50% of buyers found their new home on the internet. When people are surfing home listing websites or flipping through real estate magazines, the thing that stands out is the pictures.
It’s best to hire a professional photographer. If you find the photographers in your neighborhood are out of your price range, consider asking a friend or colleague who knows their way around a DSLR camera.
Make sure that your photographer shoots every room in the house. If your listing says that there are three bedrooms but you only have pictures of two of them, this can confuse potential buyers. Just remember that there’s no such thing as too many pictures.
And don’t forget to shoot the backyard and any outdoor seating spaces as well!
You’re Not Putting Enough Effort Into Marketing Your Home
We understand the Common reason you’ve hired a realtor is to help with marketing, but it’s best to be proactive about this as well. Keep in mind that your realtor is selling multiple properties at once and after listing your home and putting a for sale sign on your lawn, they won’t pursue other marketing strategies.
An easy way to increase the visibility of your home is by sharing it across you social media networks. Share the listing on Facebook and ask friends in the area to share it again with anyone who may be in the market for a new home.
Create a video tour to target out-of-town buyers. This doesn’t need to be a professional video and in fact, prospective buyers will appreciate the candid tour before they make an appointment to see it themselves. Target local buyers by holding an open house that coincides with garage sale season or community events.
Your House is Overpriced
Pricing your home is a stressful endeavor. Besides wanting to make sure you get what it’s worth, it’s hard to avoid the trap of rose-tinted glasses. While you may consider it quaint that there’s a school next door or convenient to be near a major road, buyers may not feel the same way.
Ultimately, an overpriced home racks up days on market which decreases its attractiveness. Prospective buyers subconsciously think the reason your house has been on the market for 40-50 day is that there’s something wrong with it. Use local data and comparable homes to set a price. Take things like the layout of your home, location, and amenities into consideration.
If you’re getting viewings but no offers, you’ll want to pay extra attention to the next few issues that realtors and home sellers have faced.
The Pictures Don’t Match Reality
We’ve all experienced the disappointment of arriving at a hotel and it not meeting the expectations we had from making the booking. This is the last thing you want prospective house buyers to think when they pull up in front of your house.
You can immediately improve your house’s curb appeal by power washing the driveway, cutting the grass and planting some flowers.
You Have Distracting Decorations
It’s important that prospective home buyers can imagine themselves living in your home. If you have quirky decorations, it can be difficult for them to picture themselves living there. While your house is on the market, pack up your souvenirs and collectibles. By presenting a neutral home, they can start to imagine how each space would look with their belongings in it.
The same goes if your spaces are cluttered. We know it can be tough when you’re still living in your house, but it’s important to keep things tidy so that your realtor can bring people to view your home at their convenience.
There Are Strong Odors
Between pets, kids and cooking, it can be hard to keep your home smelling fresh and clean. And even though you’ll have the house meticulously cleaned before a buyer moves in, these strong smells are a big turn off for buyers. One of the worst culprits is cigarette smoke which can leave a stale, lingering order.
Keeping your windows open will help air out some of these smells but you may need to resort to more drastic measures with stubborn odors. You may also need to get carpets and other upholstery professionally cleaned. Avoid the real estate trope of baking cookies immediately before the realtor brings buyers to view your home.
Don’t Give Up
As frustrated as you feel sitting at your kitchen table thinking, “Why isn’t my house selling?”, don’t give up hope! There’s a buyer out there who is waiting to find their dream home and it’s just a matter of time until you find them.
If you’re in a bind and need to sell your house right away, contact us today.
We buy houses for cash and share the profits from the resale with the homeowner. That means cash in your pocket today and no longer dealing with the headache of selling your home.