What a frustrating concept. Your home has been on the market for almost 6 months now and you’ve had zero calls. Why is this so?
There are usually only 6 reasons why your home is taking long to sell. Let’s consider the following:
- Do you have an agent and are they qualified?
92% of residential real estate transactions involve a real estate agent. Sellers that live in hot markets sometimes believe that they can sell it on their own. They can, however the statistics show that it will almost always take longer than when using an agent.
2. Have you priced your home too high?
This is where having a qualified agent comes into play. It’s absolutely imperative to price your home properly. The typical buyer will not even consider looking at a home that is above a certain limit. So if your home is priced poorly, you’re likely missing out on a ton of potential buyers.
3. Are your kitchen and bathrooms updated enough for the modern buyer?
Everybody doesn’t have $10-15K to invest into a new kitchen or bathroom. However, depending on how old these rooms are, you may have to bite the bullet. This ties back to having a qualified real estate agent. They should advise you on the critical factors that will affect your home being sold.
4. Is the landscaping or gardening affecting your Curb Side Appeal?
This is your properties’ first impression! Making sure that the grass is green and your lawn is trimmed can go a long way. Do your best to not overlook any aesthetics of your home. This is the value that buyers are paying for.
5. Is the inside of your home messy and could it use a deep cleaning?
Cleanliness is something that ALL buyers will judge a property on. Yes, its an additional expense to have your place cleaned. And yes, it takes time to de-clutter the messes you have in various areas of your home. But the payout is getting a full priced offer because the home was so well kept and seemingly in perfect condition.
6. Is the low inventory and high prices affecting buyers in your market?
The last factor to really consider is your local market. Are houses being sold in this area? Is it truly a desirable area to live in? On a national scale, we’re seeing an inventory shortage. Not too many homes are for sale overall. It may be time to think about how that national problem is affecting your local market. This again will tie into your pricing and how well your real estate agent understands where we are in the market.