Have you ever experienced this when selling your house? It’s finally up for sale on the market, and you’re jazzed because you think it’s going to receive a ton of offers. Days go by, and the interest just isn’t there, so you’re stuck second-guessing what you’ve done wrong. Why isn’t my house selling? Should I be renovating or painting? Should I pay for staging?
First, take a deep breath; you’re not alone. We’re here to take away some of the guesswork out of selling your home with five suggestions you need to consider when your house isn’t selling.
#1. Your House Isn’t Up To Snuff
We all know you don’t want to hear those words, but sometimes your house might need a little more attention than most. With so many updates required, potential buyers might view it as a money pit or, perhaps, it’s priced a bit too high. Here’s a little advice: You need to be as realistic as possible about your current situation, not greedy.
We had a client recently who, let’s just say, kept A LOT of stuff but owned a lovely home buried under some belongings. We advised them to spend $10,000 on clean-up and a fresh coat of paint, an investment that would surely increase the property’s value exponentially. And it did! Instead of sitting around wondering why the house wasn’t selling, we ended up getting $100,000 more than we would have if we left the property in “as is” condition.
Bonus Tip: Painting your house is the best way to increase the value of your home. It’s relatively inexpensive compared to other typical renovations, and the work is finished in a few days. It hides imperfections, and it makes the house appear a lot less lived in.
#2. Your House Isn’t Presenting Well In Photos
Staging your house helps make your property more attractive, but you don’t have to break the bank hiring a team to redecorate. You can easily make your home more presentable by looking at it through the lens of a home buyer.
Everyone has different tastes regarding interior decorating, so be sure to remove anything that might be distracting or off-putting to someone coming into your home. You want buyers to see the space’s potential and not contribute to why your house isn’t selling.
Clean. Up. Your. House. Don’t leave garbage lying around or groceries all over the kitchen table. Have your children tidy up their rooms, so nobody trips over a scooter or Olaf’s carrot nose. Put your laundry away. Clean your dishes. Do the chores!
Why? Because photos are a must! Most home buyers scout properties online, and having horrible pictures will immediately derail your listing. Images are the worm on the end of your fishing hook. You need those photos to be as inviting as possible to get people through your door.
That’s why we offer free complimentary staging for your home to make sure the photos pop and it’s seen in the right light the second it hits the market. We have professional interior designers who will quickly transform your living space into something that will genuinely wow an audience.
#3. You’re Not Marketing Enough
Marketing is huge. HUGE! You have to get as many people viewing your property as possible in the shortest amount of time, and the best way to do that is to have it listed everywhere and on everything.
Most agents use the standard MLS listing services that are available such as Realtor.ca. And that’s about as far as it goes.
The Golfi Team goes out of its way to make sure your listing is heavily marketed online through paid advertising and printed materials that are sent out to nearly half a million homes each month. We’re also a member of the Toronto Real Estate Board (TRREB), and with so many Toronto-based agents and buyers looking to move to our area, your listing will get maximum exposure to those looking to make a move.
Just do a Google search to compare our marketing practices versus our competitors. You will quickly see why the Golfi Team is the highest rated real estate team in Hamilton, Halton and Niagara. We’re everywhere!
#4. You Hired The Wrong Listing Agent
Your agent has to work at closing the deal. It’s that simple. Being a real estate agent requires you to be a master problem solver and relationship builder. They need to do whatever it takes to get what you want at the end of the day. Without these skills and experience, agents will always have a hard time making deals happen, which leaves the homeowner or buyer stuck in limbo and wondering why their house isn’t selling.
If you experience any of these red flags in your agent, it’s time to look for a new one:
- They lack experience and confidence.
- They lack marketing tools and an online presence.
- They don’t listen and, instead, tell you what you want.
- They’re unprofessional (Ex. late to appointments, lack of communication, etc.)
- They make you feel uneasy about what’s happening. Trust your gut.
#5. Your House Isn’t Priced To Sell
Pricing a house is crucial to generating interest. Too high, and you scare everyone off. Too low, and you could be missing out on getting what you deserve for your home.
We had a recent sale that makes a great example—a million-dollar property on Highland Road in Stoney Creek, Ontario. We guessed that $1.5 million would be bang on for the property value when we went in but decided to push it $20,000 more to $1.7 million.
We didn’t get a lot of showings but did get two offers. Nobody went over asking, which was a sign that the house was priced correctly. The first offer came in at $1.5 million, but the second offer, the one we took, ended up being for the asking price. We could have hurt ourselves pushing the market, but our experience helped us strategically price the property accordingly, and our clients walked away incredibly happy.
Let the Golfi Team help you achieve your real estate dreams with a stress-free and painless experience. You can call us any time to find out more about services or ask any real estate questions you might have. We’re always here to help!