5 mistakes you may be making if your home isn’t selling
In a perfect world, the home selling process would be straightforward and quick. Unfortunately, selling your house isn’t always that simple and your home could end up being on the market longer than you anticipated.
Let’s dive in and discuss five likely reasons your home isn’t selling and address how to fix the problems.
1. Your home needs improvements
Being a homeowner comes with many responsibilities, including keeping your home and property in good condition. Sure, you might vacuum, dust, and mop regularly – but that sometimes isn’t enough. You may need to put a little time and money into your home so you can receive more offers and sell your house quickly. Furthermore, if you’ve had buyers interested in your home, but maintenance problems are encountered during the home survey, you could end up losing the sale.
The solution?
Before listing your home for sale, try to be honest about how your house might be received by viewers. FIRST IMPRESSIONS really do matter and if there are some easy-to-fix, cosmetic improvements, it is a good idea to get these sorted before you have viewings. If you know there are issues that will be highlighted in a survey, it is a good idea to address these before putting your home on the market.
2. Your home is priced too high
Pricing a house too high happens more often than you might think. Resisting the urge to overprice your home is never easy. The longer your home stays on the market, the more likely it is that you’ll need to drop the asking price. Typically, if a home sits on the market longer than other homes nearby, buyers will assume it’s because something is wrong with it.
The solution?
Pricing your home can be complex with several different data points to take into account. Take a look at what similar homes in your area are listed for, research what homes have recently sold close by, and you can use an online calculator for a home value estimate. Your agent will also be able to work with you to price your home competitively with an expertise that can’t be matched with online tools. Don’t be tempted to go with the agent to suggests the highest price. Better to go with the agent that’s done extensive research, you can ask an agent how they arrived at a certain price.
3. Your home is cluttered and dirty
Clutter will distract buyers from your home’s best features and will make the space appear smaller. Remember you are not just selling a dream home but a dream lifestyle too.
The solution?
De-clutter, be sure to pack away family photos, excess books, clothes, and knickknacks. Instead of stashing your stuff in closets, box up what you don’t need and consider renting a storage unit to clear out some of your belongings. This is all an excellent precursor to packing for the move. You will be surprised how much ‘stuff’ you don’t need.
After you’ve decluttered, the next step is cleaning your house from top to bottom. Pay attention to the smell of your home and be sure to get an honest second opinion. If you don’t have the time to do it right, hire a professional cleaning service—it will be worth it. They’ll be able to reach every nook and cranny of your home to leave it shining so you can sell your house quickly and for more money.
4. Your kerb appeal isn’t appealing
Take a walk around your street and pay attention to the homes that appear inviting and note what about the property makes it that way. Is it the green lawn and the neatly cut hedges? The fresh coat of paint? The stone walkway? Now, walk past your home and try to picture yourself as a potential buyer. What needs work? The first impression your home gets from a buyer is important and it often starts with the exterior of your home. Strong kerb appeal has the ability to bring more buyers to your door and more and more buyers are doing a ‘drive-by’ first.
The solution?
Preparing the exterior of your home is just as important as staging the interior. Buyers won’t feel compelled to tour your home if it doesn’t look nice from the outside. A well-maintained exterior, including everything from landscaping to exterior paint, will bring buyers through your door, increasing the chances of your home selling quickly.
Hire a professional to spruce up the exterior of your home. Your lawn, hedges, trees, and other plants should be neat and there shouldn’t be any visible weeds. Have your windows washed and consider hiring a power washing company to clean any walkways.
We will work with you to Identify what is preventing potential buyers from making any offers and fix the issues as soon as possible. This way, you can sell your house quickly.
