Questions and Answers why your home won’t sell

Tools and tips to help to get your home sold

I really can’t lower the price. Is there anything else I can do?

This is the most common answer most agents will give you for “Why your home won’t sell”. In today’s market, value or the perception of value, can vary greatly from the listing agent, to the seller, to a potential buyer, or to the 2nd or 3rd agent that takes the listing. A great example of this is a home seller that can’t believe the value of his home was once over $300,000 is now being told by his agent that it’s value is closer to $200,000, and the buyer interested in buying the home sees the value closer to $150,000.

As everyone knows a sellers desire, or lots of times a sellers need, does not determine value. Especially in the eyes of a potential buyer.

So, what’s the answer when you can’t even reach your bottom line? You should have this discussion with your agent the first time you meet. Be open and honest about where you stand, and hopefully your agent will do the same.

So, now what? You bottom line can’t be reached what are your options? Here is what you can do:

1. Don’t sell your home. If you’re determined to get your price, and not willing, or feel like you can’t take less, just stay. You can always try again when the market gets better.
2. Take a loss. That’s the last thing any seller wants to hear. The market is not where it was just one or two years ago, so bringing cash to closing is sometimes the only answer. Make sure your agent shows you a “net to seller” sheet before reducing the price, so you’re not overwhelmed days before the closing with the amount of money you are asked to bring.
3. Do a short sale. If you have to sell your home, and you just don’t have the money to bring to closing you can always talk to an agent specializing in short sales, and see if you could qualify.
4. Lease it. More and more sellers are turning this option into a reality. You can rent your home for a short time until the market turns around, and hopefully this will cover a good portion of your mortgage each month.

The best thing to do is think about all these options even before putting your home on the market.

 

Top 5 Things Buyers Don’t Like About Your House

1. SMELL…

   Overwhelmingly, the #1 complaint among prospective buyers was unpleasant odors in the home. The chief offenders were smoke, pet odors, and strange cooking aromas. Some in the discussion said they turned right around and walked out because they found the smells so oppressive. Most of us are unaware of the ‘peculiar’ odors of our homes because we become immune to the smells – the buyers are not immune to these same odors.

2. CLEANLINESS…

   This one just boggles my mind – the #2 complaint that buyers had about the homes they viewed was that the seller simply did not bother to clean. We’re not talking about home staging (which will help) or even unrealistic expectations of the home being spotless – just simple old-fashioned cleaning. Selling your home can be a bit inconvenient, but when you have advance notice that a buyer is coming to view your home – clean it up!!! At the very least, remove the pile of dirty dishes from the sink.

3. SELLER AT HOME…

   Coming in at #3 is having the owners at home while the buyers are trying to view it. Most buyers felt very uncomfortable with the seller there. Many said they could not take the time to really look at the features of the home because they were in such a hurry to get away from the seller. This is a real problem for FSBOs, as they are usually the ones showing their own home.

4. CLUTTER…

   The #4 complaint is related to the cleanliness point – the dreaded clutter. We have all seen it on the home shows, many buyers have a hard time seeing your home because of all the stuff. When I was selling my small (875 sq. ft.) home, I hauled a big truckload of stuff to a storage facility. How in the world do we accumulate so much stuff?

5. UNFINISHED PROJECTS…

   Unfinished projects take the #5 spot. If you are planning on selling your home, finish up any on-going home improvement projects before placing it on the market. Homes with half-finished painting, flooring, trim, etc. gave buyers a bad overall impression.

Pictures say a thousand words

Preparing your home for the photo shoot is critical. When buyers express their intention to pay an ocular visit to your home, they will be just as pleased with the actual presentation of the property. In preparing your home for the shoot, you initially have to perform basic inspection of its areas. List down the aspects that need immediate replacement or minor repairs. Give primary attention to visible areas like walls, roof, windows, doors and each of the rooms as these are usually the most common parts of the house that are photographed.

Here are a few quick tips once you proceed to the shooting:

1. Highlight the distinct areas in your home.
2. Stage areas in order to create impressive visual impact.
3. Enhance home areas by making them look livable. Adding potted plants in as many areas as you can truly emanate the vibe of a fresh looking and welcoming space.
4. Find the right timing in taking pictures especially of outdoor spaces. This is because you will mostly rely on natural lighting. If you want to create a great silhouette of your house, take pictures a few minutes before sunrise or sunset. Within this period, the skies usually cast a great palette of colors.
5. Tall, long and/or wide shots are preferable to make any space seem bigger.

Through these simple tips in photo shooting, a buyer can better envision himself and his family living in your house. And so that he can almost instantaneously own the house, he will see to it to make a very attractive offer. If that is the case, then it is all the more advantageous for you.