The housing market is booming right now, so if selling has been on your mind, there’s never been a better time to have a realtor on speed dial.
That said, what happens if you’ve put your house up for sale and have heard only crickets in response? Other homes have offers to pour in, so what’s so wrong with yours?
Here are ten reasons why buyers could turn curb on your curb appeal.
1. There are untreated pest infestations
Nothing will send a buyer running faster than a pest infestation, especially if those pests are termites. These swarming little bugs can destroy your home, along with any offers you might receive, quicker than you can blink.
How do you fix it?
The best way to avoid missing out on offers is by treating pest infestations before you list your home. Eradicating mice, paying for thorough termite treatment services from providers like GreenHow Pest Control, and fumigating for cockroaches will encourage sales, give buyers more confidence, and avert contingency offers.
2. Your price is too high
Even though it seems like houses are selling like hotcakes for the above-asking, you still have to be diligent when pricing your home. Your price should reflect the market in your area, not simply what you hope to receive or think you can receive for it.
How do you fix it?
If you haven’t had any offers or the offers you’ve gotten were low, consider lowering the price a bit. Talk it over with your real estate agent first, but a simple price drop is all you need to gain some traction in many cases.
3. It lacks curb appeal
Have you ever driven up to a home and just found it lacking? Maybe the flower beds were too bare, the paint was peeling, or the driveway was in desperate need of resealing. Unfortunately, when buyers pull up to a home and have that same feeling, they’re less likely to show interest in putting up an offer.
How do you fix it?
Take some time to spruce up the outside of your home before listing. Plant some flowers, have the lawn reseeded, powerwash the siding, and give the fence a fresh coat of paint. You’d be surprised at how much value a weekend’s worth of manual labor can add to your home.
4. It’s too unique
Sometimes, a stand-out house is a great thing. Numerous buyers want something that doesn’t quite fit the mold of the surrounding area.
Other times, though, that’s not exactly the case.
For example, buyers might not gravitate toward a McMansion in a sea of ranchers because it stands out a bit too much from its neighbors.
How do you fix it?
There’s not much to be done if your home is out of place in its current location or if its architecture is too unique. However, if the issue is cosmetic, you can try to fix the problem.
For example, you can paint fences, tear down wallpaper, or tear up the old carpet with relative ease. Or, if you’re less handy, you could hire a contractor to do it for you.
5. You’re using bad pictures
In most cases, the very first impression a buyer will have of your house is through photos. That’s why having quality photography on your listing is essential. Unfortunately, plenty of listings for gorgeous homes use images taken vertically on a cell phone or with poor lighting that do nothing to show off how beautiful the property is.
How do you fix it?
There’s a straightforward fix to the problem of bad pictures: hire a real estate photographer.
A photographer will know how to use lighting, space, and lenses to make your home shine.
6. There’s too much to fix
Sometimes, a fixer-upper is precisely what homebuyers are looking for. It’s a fun and exciting way to make a house a home. However, not all buyers will want to take on major repairs.
How do you fix it?
If you want to incentivize buyers, fix what you can. Swap the twenty-year-old appliances for new ones, pull up old carpet, and pull down old wallpaper. If you take some of the hard work off your buyers, they’ll appreciate it when they have more funds to make their new house a true reflection of them.
7. Poor advertising
Advertising is vital in a busy housing market. You need to make sure your home stands out from the dozens of others for sale in your area.
If you’re not getting much traffic on your listing, then your agent might not be using the best advertising tools.
How do you fix it?
Do some research to find out what advertising methods work best in your area. Then, talk to your agent about their advertising methods. Go over the agent’s plan and see if there are areas you can make changes in how you’re advertising and to who.
8. It’s outdated
Older homes, especially those that haven’t been updated in a few decades, can be tough to sell. Whether it’s the style, the wiring, or the decor, many buyers simply won’t want to take on the process of updating.
How do you fix it?
Fix what you can. Try to replace any outdated aspects, including decor, cabinet faces, and hardware. Some things might not be easy to fix. If that’s the case, you could consider deducting from the price of the house to cover any major repairs, such as replacement windows or doors.
9. Poor staging
Buyers need to be able to picture themselves in their potential new home. These homemakers want to see themselves lounging in the living room, sleeping in the master, and cooking up a meal in the kitchen. Unfortunately, if your house is full of personal photos, rumpled sheets, or children’s toys, it’ll be tough for any new residents to picture their belongings there.
How do you fix it?
Talk to your agent about staging. Remove family photos and put all personal belongings away before any showing, and be sure to give your house a thorough cleaning when you know potential buyers will be popping by for a tour.
10. It’s been listed for too long
A house can quickly go stagnant on the market. That stagnancy will only worsen the longer your home is up for sale. In a hot market, buyers might look at a house that’s been sitting for sale for several months and wonder what’s wrong with it.
How do you fix it?
If you want to get more buyers interested in your home, you’ll need to look at what you can change to draw their attention. All the things listed here are potential reasons your home may have been sitting for several months.
Final thoughts
Selling your home can be stressful, especially when you’re struggling to gain traction with buyers. If you’re having trouble finding a buyer, consider all the points raised here and talk to your real estate agent about what you can do to get a sale sooner rather than later.
