Health & Fitness
"For Sale" Sign In Your Yard Getting Dusty? 6 Reasons WHY Your Home Isn't SELLING
Want to know why your home isn't selling? Here are 6 reasons why you're home is sitting. Also, tips to make it sell faster.
What an exciting moment. The day when you hire your Realtor. Sign the paperwork. Shake hands. Look out your window to gaze upon that flashy "For Sale" sign in your yard. Oh, those directionals on every corner of the neighborhood. So exhilarating. Pure chills. Then, even more exciting...those first inquiries. The first showings of your home. The first open house. The first second showings. The first low-ball offers. Everything seems like it's falling into place. Everything is AWESOME. You should be signing papers at that closing table in no time.
But then, it happens. Nothing. The calls stop coming in. Showings are a thing of the past. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months. Your house just sits. And, the longer a house sits on the market, the more it gets stigmatized. People begin to wonder what's wrong with the place? Why isn't it selling?
If you don't want your home to be the sitting duck, read on to determine the reasons why your home isn't SELLING.
1. That Home is Priced for WHAT? What Were They Thinking?
Find out what's happening in Alpharetta-Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
I cannot stress this point more....price is what sells a home. In order to determine a price to put on the price tag of a home, a Realtor will compare your home to what's selling in the current market. The condition of the home, as well as the location are both very important factors that affect the price. So, why do sellers price their homes so high to begin with? Well, of course EVERYBODY wants to get the most for their home. Also, some people are so underwater, that they can't afford to price it for less. The good thing about this being the main factor why your home is sitting, it's an easy, quick fix. Lower the price, and they will come. The buyers of course.
If you want to see what the market is pricing your home at, click here to get a FREE Home Pricing Valuation of your home.
Find out what's happening in Alpharetta-Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
2. Tacky or Dated Decor
You know that wallpaper that looks as if a flower threw up in your bathroom? Or, that brass ceiling fan that's missing one of it's wicker blades? These are the things I'm talking about. There is nothing worse than walking into a BEAUTIFUL home, only to realize that you've walked into a 90's time capsule.
Ring, Ring. The 90's just called and wants their decor back.
With that said, invite friends over and have a "ripping that wallpaper down like it's your job" party. It could be fun. But, it definitely will help you sell that home.
3. The Condition of the Home
If a home looks like it will need a lot of money invested into it, then, that investment will ultimately come off of the offering price. I recommend to all of my sellers, that they have a professional home inspector come in and inspect the home. Then, they invest some time and money into repairing what was found in the report. This means everything to a potential buyer. It can also help warrant your home as "pre-certified". Find out about our Pre-Certification Program by calling me at 678-458-2284.
Also, a home that smells like pet urine or mold will not sell for top-dollar. So, eliminate those smells by ANY means possible.
4. Bad LocationThe other day, I was driving around a luxury neighborhood in Milton. I mean, these homes are AMAZING. Anyway, there was this one home that was sitting up on a hill. It was beautiful. Something I could only dream about living in. Then, I looked to my right and saw...drumroll...huge power lines. NOOOOOOOOO! I hate to see bad location happen to good homes.
Homes that are close to a power plant, waste-treatment facility or busy freeway will often sit, unless the seller is willing to take a major hit on the price. A previous buyer I was working with explained to me that they had to sell their home $100,000 less than their neighbors' because of it's close proximity to a landfill.
So, location, location, location does still pertain to our home market.
5. Your Listing Photos
Over 98% of home-searchers are searching online. So, the listing photos will be their first representation of your home. And, unfortunately, some agents don't take or provide professional/appealing pictures of the home. There is nothing worse than that MLS picture of the living room with somebody's foot in the corner. Or, that sideways, upside, inside-out picture of the front of the home. Nothing worse.
6. A Luxury Listing Among Humble Homes
This is another location issue, but, it's not the landfill or local water treatment company you have to worry about. It's the smaller, less expensive homes around you. When you have a luxury home, surrounded by less valuable properties, your home, therefore, becomes less valuable. For instance, when different builders build in the same subdivision, the homes will variate. The quality, the construction, the size. But, unfortunately, these homes will be considered comparable when it comes down to pricing and appraisal time.
I was reading a story online about a home in NY that was originally listed at $799,900. It sat on the market for over 3 years and is now priced at $579,000, a step closer to the ranch homes around it, which are selling in the low- to mid-$200,000 range.
Find out what comparables have sold in your neighborhood by requesting a free CMA of your home here.
So, here is my advice on getting your home sold for top dollar. Obviously, you can't control the market. You can't control your comparables. You can't control your location. But, you CAN do the following to help your home sell fast:
- Be Realistic About Price
- Keep the Colors of the Walls inside Neutral and update as much decor as your wallet allows
- Be Picky About the Photos
- Invest in an Appraisal and Home Inspector
There's nothing better for a seller, than getting their home under contract before expected. In this case, before the neutral paint dries.
Emily Benner
Realtor
Sells Strong Team
PalmerHouse Properties
1190 Nix Road
Milton, GA 30004
www.SellsStrong.com
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"6 Reasons Your Home Isn't Selling"
