In our current real estate market, I often meet with home sellers who can’t understand why their home has not sold.  There are six primary reasons a home doesn’t sell:

1) Asking Price is too high
2) Condition
3) Less Desirable Location
4) Access (how easy is it to show)
5) Marketing Plan
6) Seller’s Choice of Listing Agent

1) Asking Price:  In our current market many homes continue to sell quickly and some for more than their initial asking price. When you meet with your Realtor to discuss pricing, carefully review their Market Assessment. Determine which homes in your neighborhood failed to sell (expired listings), review the homes which sold, those in escrow and your current competition (active listings).   You will want to carefully base your price on this combination.   



2. Condition: Each home seller has unique needs and a different time line.  If your goal is to sell your home for the highest price in the shortest period of time, you may want to make a few changes. Sometimes, simply rearranging furniture and removing clutter are all that is needed to get your home in show condition.

As lending guidelines have become stricter and larger down payments the new norm, your home’s condition is critical to a buyer.  After most buyers close escrow, they don't have funds remaining for upgrades. Buyers will pay a premium for homes in move in condition.

Do not make any improvements before you speak to a real estate agent or home stager. I can’t tell you how many home sellers I meet who have already painted and done fix-its. I provide a complimentary home staging consultation for my clients; my stager will assist the home seller in selecting the correct paint color  and recommending only the improvements which will more than pay for themselves. And please don’t waste money changing carpet; I can’t recall the last time a home buyer told me they wanted a home with plush carpet; home buyers love hardwood floors.

3. Location: A less desirable location could be anything from a property located near high tension lines, one impacted by freeway noise or one located in a neighborhood with a high crime rate.  A less desirable location is offset by an enticing asking price or superior condition.

4. Access/Showability:  It certainly is not easy having your home in show condition on a daily basis.  Discuss with your Realtor reasonable time frames in which your home can be shown.  Not a morning person? Request that showings don’t start until after 10 am.  Have a messy household? Request that you be provided two hour notice for each showing.  Work out reasonable time frames with your Realtor up front and then if possible make your home easy to show, especially during the critical first 10 days of coming on the market.

5. Marketing: Gone are the days when placing a for sale sign in  the yard was all it took to sell a home.  With over 90% of home buyers beginning their home buying search online, it is critical that your real estate agent have an impressive Internet presence.   When you initially meet with a Realtor they should provide you with a customized Market Assessment of your home.  This will detail what the real estate agent will do to get your home sold, where and how they will advertise to reach your likely buyer.

6. Listing Agent: Not all listing agents are created equal.   We all love our weekends, but some Realtors have a tendency to disappear on weekends and not return phone calls.  Before showing a property most Realtors will want to contact the listing agent personally to verify that the home is still available and to determine if there are any outstanding offers.  If your agent is slow to return phone calls that could negatively impact your showings.

Each home sale is unique, if you have a home which hasn't sold, call me and let's find out how we can get your home sold.

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