Selling a home can be a nerve-wracking experience. You want to move on as quickly as possible and for a good price, but frustration can easily creep in if your house has been sitting on the market for a few months.
If your home isn’t getting many viewers and time is ticking on, it might be down to some of these factors:
Too Expensive: The number one reason a home won’t sell is always because of the price. Homeowners always feel their home is worth more than the agent and market data tells them. But, if you put your home on the market for a price that’s unrealistic then you could have a house that will sit on the market for months and won’t generate much interest. Dropping the asking price, even just a little bit, will attract more viewers. However, it is really important you make sure the other reasons your home might not be selling have all been addressed before you consider changing your marketing price.
Photos: The majority of buyers start their search for a home online these days and that’s why it’s very important to have good quality images and video showcasing your property. Some homeowners want to provide agents with pictures they’ve taken themselves but this is always a bad idea and I have even heard of agents snapping photos with their smart phone. Make sure you hire a local agent who has a proven track record in creating quality marketing materials and you’ll attract more viewers to your home. We work with professional photographers on all our properties to guarantee our clients get the absolute best portfolio of photographs possible.
Time: When putting your house on the market it’s a good idea to be mindful of what season it is. Selling a house in the height of summer can pose some challenges as many people are away on holiday. If you sell in the middle of winter some buyers will just hold off until after Christmas. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to sell your home at certain times of the year, it just means that you and your agent need to have have a strategy to make sure you get a result.
Too Personal: As a homeowner you’ve an emotional connection to your property but it’s important to remember that your buyer won’t and they might not love you collection of dolls in the spare room or unusual paintings in the living room. Put all overly personal items in storage to allow your buyers to visualise themselves living there.
Too Cluttered: Before you put your home on the market make sure you declutter every room in your house as buyers want to walk into a house and see themselves living there. Sometimes people can’t see past other people’s stuff and it will put them off. Ask your agent for tips on how to stage your home for sale, but please don’t take their advice personally. Some of our clients even employ the services of one of our recommended interior designers to help style their home ready for marketing.
It Smells Bad: If you smoke or have a pet then you won’t notice the smell in your home- but other people coming into your home will and it can really put buyers off. Before showing your house, deep clean your carpets, dispose of any rubbish and freshen up fabrics with odour eaters. On the day of your viewings don’t cook food that have strong smells, instead use scented candles and diffusers and open your windows to allow fresh air in.
You Won’t do Repairs: Homeowners are often left horrified if their agent suggests they might have to give their home a lick of paint or fix those DIY jobs that they’ve been ignoring for years. However, you want to make a good first impression on potential buyers and if your home is a bit tired then that will leave people with the wrong impression. Consider your buyers point of view, they are most likely searching for their ‘dream home’, is that likely going to be one that comes with a ready made to-do list?
Low Showing Availability: It can be incredibly annoying having to keep your home tidy all the time and to have strangers walking through your home constantly, but you have to make your home available for viewings as much as possible. If you decline too many showings then you could end up missing out on the perfect buyer. Allow your agent to show the home when you’re at work and at weekends. Also, ask them to give you 24 hours notice. One of the ways we deal with this is by pre-planning viewings and booking them in blocks, allowing us to minimalise disruption to you.
Don’t let your listing gather dust, make sure you avoid these 8 mistakes and you’ll have a home that will sell in no time.
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