Selling your home can be a nerve-wracking, yet exciting time. That first day that “For Sale” sign gets placed in your front yard you will probably imagine the offers rolling in and your moving truck sitting in the driveway as you head out to your new spot. 
But sometimes, the days will go by without an offer. Sometimes the weeks will. And sometimes, the months, and months, and months will go by.
So what’s going on? Does no one want your house? What’s wrong with it? It’s served you well, right?
There are a lot of reasons why a house can sit on the market. We’ve gathered up five of the biggest reasons those in the industry have found that tend to keep that “For Sale” sign up longer than you’d like.
- Price
Real estate professionals across the board will typically tell you that when your house isn’t selling, most likely it is not priced appropriately. Many sellers want to start a bit too high just to see if they get any bites. This can work sometimes, but most likely it will just extend the amount of time your house sits and eliminate buyers from your pool.Remember, most house hunters start their search online. And most will also filter out certain prices. Price your house too high and they might not even see it.According to Trulia.com, Sellers are in control for the first 30 days a house is on the market. With a new listing, you really have the buyer’s attention. Don’t waste that time “testing” a price.
- Poor Photos
As we mentioned, most everyone starts their home search online these days. This makes your photographs CRUCIAL to the sale of your house. The old “curb appeal” is now “screen appeal.” So you’ll need to stop and think – how does YOUR house translate to the online shopper?Correct use of lighting, angles, and time of day will produce the best result and let your home show its best. According to usnews.com, many agents will hire professional photographers for photo shoots as part of their marketing services.
- Lack of Marketing
Smart marketing of a home can make or break your sale price. Monte Mohr, a Zillow Blog contributor says that the most effective strategy is to run what he called a “promotional blitz” as soon as your home hits the market.You should use everything at your exposure, Mohr said. This includes: printed materials, professional photographs, featured listings on all real estate sites, as well as the Multiple Listing Service (MLS).
- Too Much Clutter
Clutter can hinder how a home shows in photos and in showings. Having too much clutter in a house will do two things. First, it will shrink the size of your house by crowding it with excess furniture, toys, and miscellaneous items. Secondly, it will hinder your potential buyers from being able to imagine THEIR stuff in your home because quite simply they see too much of YOUR stuff.
- Not Enough Upgrades
This is particularly true if you live in an area with a lot of new construction going on. Buyers will get used to looking at shiny new homes and then they’ll come across your listing. What do they see? Are they seeing a house they can make their home or a complete renovation?While some buyers are looking for a project, most do not want to do the big stuff (ehem, kitchen). They also are not looking to take on a plethora of projects in every single room.
While you can leave light cosmetic repairs for a buyer to do, try your best to take care of some of the obvious repairs that can scare off a buyer. For instance, if a home obviously needs a new roof you may want to get it done instead of just trying to adjust your price. Many buyers will want to avoid the hassle of a new roof. According to redfin.com, if your roof is beyond its useful life, then you should replace it before you sell.
It’s a good idea to speak with a real estate agent in your area before taking part in any renovations you may be hesitant about. An agent can look at the other homes in your area and tell you where yours may stand. Is your home in better shape or worse? This can decide what is worth repairing and what you can leave alone.
The longer your house sit the worse off you typically are. So get a head start before you list your house and hire the right agent for the job. If you need to sell your home, we’re here to help.
Click here to get in touch with one of our team members today!