Housing Market 2024: 6 Reasons Your House Isn’t Selling
Written by
Laura Bogart
Edited by
T. Woods
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We invest so much time, care and effort into making our houses into homes that when we eventually put them on the market, we naturally assume someone else will quickly see the same value in the property as we do. Yet, what if that “for sale” sign lingers in our front yard as days turn into weeks, and weeks threaten to turn into months? Why is it taking so long?
According to an analysis written by Massachusetts realtor Kevin Vitaly, “selling your home in the first 60 days is vitally important to receiving as much net funds from your sale as possible.” To ensure your own sale goes as quickly as possible, here are a few hurdles to plan for in case you decide to sell your home.
Prices Are Too High
According to HomeLight, one of the most common reasons a house will linger on the market is overpricing. In fact, when surveying top real estate agents, HomeLight found that 54% of agents either saw or heard about buyers backing out of contracts because of home prices. To get a more accurate gauge of pricing in your area, you can turn to the HomeLight Home Value Estimator as a starting point, before getting the counsel of a trusted agent.
It’s Time for a New Look
The way you’ve arranged our furniture or curated your art collections may make your house feel like home, but it might also prevent buyers from imagining themselves in the space. In a report from the National Association of Real Estate agents, over 80% of agents claim that staging a house with furniture, décor and artwork that feels warm and inviting helps entice buyers.
Curb Appeal is in the Gutter
You can have an interior that would be the envy of any HGTV devotee, but if your yard look like a jungle and your facade is faded, you’ll chase buyers away. Spending the time to mow and weed, as wll as investing in a good pressure wash and paint job, can make a huge difference in turning someone casually touring your home into its next owner.
Marketing Lacks Imagination
While yard signs and printed ads were the traditional go-to marketing techniques of the past, today’s buyers are spending more time online, thus requiring a digitally-savvy approach from sellers. Getting your home listed on reputable third-party sites like Zillow and Redfin helps us broaden your reach among buyers in your area, or even people looking to move from a different state.
Our Pictures Fall Flat
If your listing only includes a few dimly-lit iPhone photos, or blurry snapshots taken with a digital camera, you might make our house look more like a set from a new horror film than an appealing place to live. Getting professional-quality photos or even virtual video walkthroughs can distinguish your home from other options on the market.
You’re Not Telling the Full Story
Brevity may be the soul of wit, but it’s not the best way to list a house. If you’re sticking only to brass tacks when writing your description, you’re missing out on the golden parts of buying a house. An effective listing helps prospective buyers imagine the benefits of the neighborhood and highlights how they can enjoy household amenities like “fabulous views” and a “chef’s kitchen.”
Selling a home can be difficult, even stressful. By avoiding the above pitfalls, however, you can turn that process into a fast and easy one for both yourself and your buyer.
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