Selling a house is nerve-wracking at the best of times. What's worse, though, is putting your house on the market and not selling it. What's keeping your house from selling when all the ones around you are getting snapped up? Keep reading for the top reasons that a home just isn't selling.
Nobody Knows It's For Sale
In the good old days, putting your house up for sale meant sticking a big "For Sale" sign in the front yard. For some sellers, that's still the way the world works, right? Wrong. Buyers these days go straight to the internet. If your house isn't listed on your area's Multiple Listing Service, or MLS, most buyers just aren't going to know it's on the market. So how do you get it out there? Well, a good real estate agent will get that done for you, along with other useful tasks like letting you know what's worth updating and how to price your house. If you'd prefer to go it alone, though, a limited-service broker can give you an MLS listing for a flat fee. Once that's done, your house will automatically be listed on sites like Zillow and Trulia as well as on the MLS itself.
The Price Is Wrong
Any property, from a Beverly Hills mansion to that derelict hut down the street, is guaranteed to sell if the price is right. So what does that mean for you? Unfortunately, it means that your price is probably too high. Try looking at recent sales of similar homes in your neighborhood. Those comparable listings, or comps, are how real estate agents determine the value of a home, and they're what will tell you what your house is worth. According to Princeton realtors at Gloria Nilson & Co., the listing price is the number-one factor influencing the sale of your home. Even if you think your home is much nicer than those other houses, you're unlikely to sell it for more, and sticking to your guns is just costing you time.
Your House Doesn't Show Well
Take a look at your house from the perspective of a total stranger. Better yet, get a blunt friend to walk through your place and give you a candid opinion. When you live in a house, little details like a broken blind or a faint musty smell can become so normal that you're no longer really aware of them, but to prospective buyers, they stick out immediately. Be sure that the details are right in your house, because a few problem spots can give the impression that there might be underlying problems with the whole house.
The Decor Is Chasing People Away
When buyers view a house, they want to imagine themselves living there. Anything that interferes with that vision, like a fine collection of horror movie posters or a wall full of pictures of your Great Aunt Millie, will prevent them from becoming attached to the house. Go through the place with a fine-toothed comb and remove all your personal touches. Sure, the place will feel a little generic and even hotel-like afterwards, but remember: You're not decorating for you anymore. Go for neutral and spacious, and you'll have much better luck with the buyers.
There's no house too flawed to be sold successfully. With our list to help you discover what's holding your home back, you'll be able to have it off the market for good in no time.
