When you decide to sell your house, and you list it, the main goal is to sell it as quickly as possible. If months go by and your home hasn’t sold, it can be very frustrating. This is especially true if you can start looking at houses for sale in Washington for yourself until your house sells. You can also end up getting less money if your house is on the market for too long. According to an analysis provided by Zillow, homes that are sold within the first seven days are often sold for the list price. Homes that are on the market for over 30 days often sell for 4 percent below the list price. As time goes by, you will be forced to low the sale price of the home more and more until it finally sells.
If your home has been on the market for close to 30 days and it still hasn’t sold, there are a few reasons why. It is essential that you take a good look at each of the reasons to determine if any of them apply to your situation.
#1 The List Price Is Too High
Pricing a house too high is a very common mistake that sellers make. According to a 2016 report created by Top Agent Insights, 51 percent of agents surveyed say that they have found that sellers have listed their home for more than they should have.
It can be tricky to price a home. Most sellers use the cost of comparable houses on the market to price their homes, but they don’t get help from their agents. Your real estate agent understands the market, and they also know how much similar homes in your area are selling for. Their advice can be invaluable. You can also get feedback from the people who have come to look at your home to determine if you are asking too much. Nobody will pay more than a home is worth, and it could be why you haven’t been able to sell your home.
What Is the Fix?
The only way to remedy the situation and sell your home is to drop the asking price. It isn’t easy to admit that your home isn’t worth as much as you thought, but you aren’t the first person to make this mistake. According to the National Association of Realtors, 22 percent of sellers report reducing the asking price of their homes. If you aren’t sure how much you should drop the price, you should get some advice from your agent.
#2 Your Home Isn’t Like Most Others
It is possible that your home isn’t selling because it is too unique. Your home could be too large, it could be very high-end, or it could have unusual features that the typical buyer isn’t looking for. These unusual features may be the reason that you bought the house in the first place, but they could also be the reason that the house isn’t selling.
What is the Fix?
In some cases, you just might need to be patient. It can take longer for a person to looking for a unique home to show up. If your patience has run out, you might need to change your advertising strategy a bit. If you cast the unusual features in a positive light, it can be more appealing to buyers. Think about why these features made you want to buy a home and go in that direction. Your agent can help you come up with a new marketing strategy. They can also find other places to advertise the home so that your listing will be more visible.
#3 Your House Isn’t Staged Properly
Most sellers don’t understand the importance of proper staging. According to Forbes, homes that are staged properly sell 87 percent faster than homes that aren’t staged properly. Properly staged homes also sell for 17 percent more. Prospective buyers aren’t touring your home to shop for furniture, so it is best to move some pieces out. A properly staged home will have no personal effects like family photos on the walls. Buyers want to be able to picture their belongings in the house, not yours. Staging issues could also be little things that distract people from the best features of your home. If a buyer can’t picture themselves in the house, they aren’t going to make an offer. They would rather keep looking to find Washington houses that are staged properly.
What Is the Fix?
Decluttering your home is the first thing you should do. Just leave a few simple pieces of furniture in the home, and move out the rest. Also, make any small repairs that could be distracting. If you aren’t sure how to properly stage your home, speak to your real estate agent. They have experience with staging, and can help make it look perfect when it comes time to sell your home.
#4 Your House Doesn’t Have Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is essential in selling your home. If potential buyers pull into the driveway and don’t like what they see, they likely won’t stick around to tour the house. According to the 2016 Remodeling Impact Report, something simple like lawn care and general landscaping can help you get an average of 303 percent return on investment when selling the home. People who are looking for homes for sale in Washington are going to want to see something great when they pull into the driveway.
What Is the Fix?
This fix is relatively simple, and a landscaper and a handyman can help. Adding some plants, flowers, and landscape design can work wonders. A handyman can fix anything that is drawing negative attention to the home, and they can paint the door, the fence, and even the house. Anything you can do to boost the curb appeal will help you sell your home.
#5 The Pictures Aren’t Doing Your Home Justice
According to Real Estate in a Digital Age, 44 percent of buyers start house hunting online. Also, 89 percent of buyers find the listing photos useful. If your pictures are sub-par, buyers won’t be able to see how beautiful your home is.
What Is the Fix?
The fix for this is simple. Get new photos. A professional photographer will know who to use the right lighting and the best angles to feature your home in the best light possible. It may cost you money, but it will be worth it if it gets your house sold. According to CBS News, professional photos can help your home get 61 percent more views than if you had taken the photos yourself. To prove this point even further, an article in the Wall Street Journal states that listings with professional photos can increase the price of your home by between $934 and $116,076.