Has your house been sitting on the property market for a long time? If so, there may be some fundamental reasons why you are having difficulty selling it. Consider the following, and take any steps necessary to improve your selling chances.
- Your real-estate agent isn’t doing their job
It’s the real estate agent’s job to sell your property. They are responsible for marketing it on their website, as well as other general property websites that cover your locale. Photographs need to show your house at it’s best, and the advertising text needs to inspire excitement from prospective buyers. If the photos aren’t up to scratch, and the text is unlikely to inspire any interest, then you need to have a word with the agent, and pronto. Either that,or find a better real estate agent.
- There are telltale signs of disrepair in your property
Property buyers want to feel confident in the home they are buying. If they walk around your property and notice signs of disrepair, they are unlikely to take further interest, unless you promise to fix any prevailing issues. So walk around your home yourself. Make a checklist of any problems, from creaking floorboards to cracked tiles, and plan to repair them as soon as possible. From builders to grout cleaning services, get the right people in for jobs you can’t manage, and then save yourself some money by fixing any minor repairs yourself.
- You are asking too much for your property
Understandably, you want to get as much money for your property as possible. However, you also need to be realistic. How does your home compare to similarly priced houses in the area? If your house is priced substantially higher, you will need to lower the asking price to match others. Of course, you can boost your home’s value to get a higher return, but any improvements made still need to be reflected in the price you are suggesting. Check with your real-estate agent for further advice.
- You aren’t giving a good first impression
As soon as you have an appointment with the buyer, ensure you do all you can to create that excellent first impression. This includes making your home sparkle from top to bottom, removing any clutter, and adding to your home’s aroma with handily placed flowers or a tray of freshly cooked biscuits straight out of the oven. You need to consider your selling technique as well. If you don’t have the sales patter down to a tee, drawing attention to places that will impress the buyer, ask your real-estate agent to show your home for you.
- The property market is slow
For any number of reasons, you may be selling at the wrong time. Your house won’t be the only one with a ‘for sale’ sign stuck outside on the lawn, so you may need to rethink your plans. Again, you may need to lower your asking price to match the economic climate, or you could take your property off the market for a few months until there is an upturn in the market. Again, provided your real-estate agent has their finger on the pulse, ask them for advice.
Final word
If any of the above made sense to you, take the necessary steps to manage your property. If you have done all of the above, and are still waiting for that sale, then stay patient. Your home will sell, eventually.
