If you have listed your home but are not getting much interest from potential buyers, you may need to reconsider your property’s marketing appeal. Although house shoppers look for a variety of features, depending on their needs, many are often influenced by four key factors in available homes.

Curb Appeal

No matter your location, you must make your house visually appealing from a drive-by perspective, as that is how many shoppers get their first impression of a property of potential interest. If your house is looking a little shabby, there’s plenty you can do to spruce it up a bit. Keep the grass mowed and the weeds away when the house hits the market and consider power washing the exterior. Your front entrance should be neat and inviting, so you may want to give the door a fresh coat of paint. A few well-placed shrubs or potted plants will add color and interest.

Major Repairs

Trying to sell a home that requires major upkeep, maintenance, or repairs can be problematic. Damage to flooring and walls may be superficial, but buyers don’t usually want to have to handle that. Also, while some homeowners consider air conditioning a bonus rather than a necessity, buyers who have to add AC repair for your broken unit may be inclined to shop elsewhere rather than add another expense to the purchase price. If you don’t want to pay for significant improvements, factor those costs in your sale price.

Untidiness

Homes that are cluttered with stacked magazines or crowded furniture are a turn-off to buyers, as they want to see the clean lines of the home’s rooms for a better idea of how their furnishings will fit. Scattered children’s toys and a pet bed, cage, or chew-toys can also raise red flags about available storage space and general cleanliness. Organize everything neatly to show prospective homebuyers the house in its best shape. A thorough cleaning, dusting, and polishing will be helpful.

Pricing

Pricing overall should fit within the neighborhood marketing range. Your realtor will likely have pulled comps, which means similar properties recently sold or currently for sale will be compared for their sale price so that yours can be priced competitively. Asking too much will deter buyers, so you will need to decide how quickly and how earnestly you want to sell the property.

Making your home inviting, attractive, move-in ready, and affordable will help to attract serious buyers. A little extra effort and cost now may reap more profit when the home sells.