Selling your home is a big time in your life – which can sometimes stretch to a long time as well. The time varies up and down the country. Some statistics show that the national average time of selling a house is 5-6months, whilst others say it should take 6 weeks, on average. So, why hasn’t your house sold yet? What factors are affecting the sale of your home?
You drive through your area and see houses upon houses with a sold sign outside. It’s difficult to narrow down the exact reason why your house isn’t selling. This advice guide can help you get to the bottom of why you house hasn’t sold yet and help you get it off the market.
- Wrong Time
Believe it or not, the season you put your house on the market can greatly affect the sale of your house. Selling your house mostly relies on the when. Dependent on who is looking at your house, depends on when they want to move. If your house has gone on the market in the lead up to Christmas, families may be less keen on moving within the festive period – due to wanting their home ready for Christmas. The same goes for the summer, families want to be settled into their home for the summer holidays – especially if they have children and a beautiful garden they want to enjoy in the hot weather.
Think about when you put your house on the market, to make sure that it is on the market at the right time. Timing in life always matters, and that’s no exception for your house sale. The time to sell is dependent on who your house is for. Think about who you’re marketing your home for and when they would want to move before putting your house on the market.
- Wrong Price
It happens all the time, but you may have had your home overvalued. Your house price may have some cushioning tagged on… Estate agents who are extra keen to get you to sell with them, may pad the price out a little in order to entice you into using their services. Only to find that you lower the asking price because it’s not selling. It’s a win for them, but not for you.
Before you decide on the value of your home, get a second or third opinion (get a fourth, fifth, sixth etc. if you really want!) Whatever you do, make sure the value of your home is right. Of course, it’s an estimate but it needs to be an accurate estimate. Question your estate agent as to why they think it is the price they have given. Think about the price yourself too. More bedrooms. means more money. When did you buy your home and how did you buy it for? All of these are indicators for your home’s value.
- Wrong Estate Agent
Over keen or not keen enough? It’s probably the latter that is affecting the sale of your home. When it comes to marketing your home, there’s only so much you should be doing, but there’s a lot your estate agent should be offering you. The key is getting your home out there, and if you haven’t heard from your estate agent in a while – they probably aren’t marketing it well enough. If you’re using an online estate agent – don’t. While it may be enticing due to their low charges, they don’t know your area or have the expertise of local estate agents.
Check in with your estate agent weekly and ask them if there has been any interest in your property. If they’re not eager and helpful in assisting the sale of your house – get rid. Nobody wants an estate agent disinterested in your home or happiness. Find someone who is professional, fair and gets the job done – making regular contact with you about your house is imperative. Everyone needs to be in the loop.
- Wrong Image
Have you seen the pictures of your property? Are they low quality, dim, or just bad images. You know your home looks great but do the pictures reflect that? Any estate agency not using a top of the range camera is an estate agent not doing their job properly. Marketing your home to potential buyers all starts with first impressions. Where are they going to most likely see your house? On your estate agent’s online site (most likely).
Checklist for home photography;
- Good lighting
- High quality camera/camera work
- Proofing (you sign off on the photos to say you’re happy)
Your home needs to look its best in photos. Make sure there is good natural light on the day of the photo shoot. Keep your home, clean and tidy – ready for presenting. Even better, get everyone out of the way, if you can. Your home needs to look picturesque and ideal to draw in potential buyers.
- Wrong Presentation
Consider if your home is ready for viewings. If there’s minor work that needs to be done or your home is over cluttered, these can all affect how your home is perceived. Your home needs to be immaculate and, as said before, picturesque. Nobody wants to walk into your home and see/smell something that puts them off buying your home. In your eyes its beautiful, but it’s common for sellers to miss things that may detour potential buyers. Nose blind to dog or other smells in your home, or even missed some scratched paintwork or damaged wood work – it all factors into the sale of your home.
Get the paint brushes out and the deep cleaning kit. Scrub, rinse, polish and everything else! (Or use that credit card to get some pro cleaners in) Make sure your home is seen for the beautiful property that enticed you into buying it. Get out those carboard boxes and pack away some of those ornaments and other décor that is around your home – a cluttered home is a home that won’t sell. Showcase everything your home has to offer, from potential space for extensions to how much potential buyers can fit into a cupboard. If you’ve got it, flaunt it – especially when selling your house.
Remember these top tips to get your home to sell faster.
- Think about the time to sell
- Get a second and third opinion on your house price
- Think about what your estate agents should be offering you – and whether you should use an online estate agent
- Make sure your photos are great
- Make sure your home is ready for viewings and in prime condition
Use advice guides to turn those wrongs into rights. Find the right time, the right price, the right estate agent, the right photography and the right presentation of your home. Get your house off the market into the hands of potential buyers. Selling your home is easier if you follow these top tips.
Author Bio:
Hugh Sallows is a Content Marketing Executive at Revive Digital. Writing content for magazines, blogs and websites, Hugh has an extensive history in writing.