If your home has been on the market for a while, it can be hard to narrow down the exact reason why. In some cases, it can be an easy fix, and afterward, your home will fly off the market. As a seller, it is your responsibility to paint your home in the best light possible.
It’s Priced Too High
The main reason why your home is not selling might be because potential buyers do not agree with the sale price. A good rule of thumb to judge the price of your home is by looking at the neighborhood and adjusting to a similar price as the other homes. If your home has a lot of damage or the buyers would have to repair and replace many things, you might need to lower your asking price as well, to compensate for the costs they will have to pay for. The longer your house is on the market, the harder it is to sell, even once your drop the price. The best thing to do is start with a realistic price and consult with a realtor if you are having issues selling early on.
An Inconvenient Location
Depending on where you live, it also becomes difficult to sell your home. Location is everything unless the buyer is getting a good deal. When buying a home, people look at what is nearby, like schools or grocery stores. If you live in an area where there is a lot to do, people will want to live there. On the other hand, if you live near an airport, highway, or train, people will be less attracted to your home as a result of the noise. While you cannot change where your house is, you can do your best to assure the buyers that they will get used to the noise and that the house itself is a great find.
Cracked Pavement
One of the first things people will notice driving up to your home is the driveway itself. Damages to the pavement turn buyers always before they even look at the inside of your home. It is something that buyers can not only see but also feel when their car drives over the bumps. Before you get to the point that you need to pave a new driveway, there are ways to proactively prevent cracks. Sealcoating can protect paving from water and other elements. If you already have cracks, you can use an asphalt filler to neatly seal them up. However, if there is too much damage, replacing the pavement would look better than filling in many cracks.
Terrible Smells
The smell of your home is another key factor that affects if people want to live there. Odors from smoking, mold, sea air, or even pets can deter people from wanting to spend time in your home long enough to decide if they even want to buy it. The best way to get rid of any smell is to either wash or throw away any fabric or carpet because that is where the smell tends to cling. Cleaning with vinegar is also a great way to kill any odors that linger on surfaces or walls. In general, you should not try to mask the smells with sprays or candles and instead tackle the source of the odor.
Outdated Rooms
Your kitchen and bathrooms could be holding you back from selling your home if they have not been recently updated. People want to buy homes that look modern because it signals to them that they will not have to make repairs early on. You should not renovate an entire room, but it could be beneficial to you if you updated some appliances like your stove or washing machine. You could also reduce the price of the house instead of spending more of your own money to change something for a house that you will no longer live in.
Unfinished Basements
Along with the same lines as having an updated house, your unfinished basement could also make it harder to sell your home. Buyers have a hard time seeing the functionality of an unfinished room, so it is your job to make it worth it for them. It is all about how you present the room. If you help the potential buyers see what they could use the basement for, they will see it as an asset instead of a loss. They can use it for additional storage, or as a clean slate if they decide to finish it themselves. Just make sure it is clean and neat when you show the house.
Poor Staging
When people visit during an open house, they want to be able to imagine themselves living there. If the home is cluttered with pictures and furniture, they will not be able to see how the home itself looks like or how their furniture would look if they moved in. Simple staging can help more people relate to your home, as opposed to if it was decorated according to your style and family photographs. Your realtor can help you with staging, but you help by packing up your belongings to clear out the house.
Unkempt Yard
Curb appeal is what attracts people into your home in the first place. If your yard is nicely landscaped, people will assume that the inside of your house is also beautiful. However, the opposite is also true. If your grass is long, bushes are shaggy, and weeds are growing everywhere, people will assume that the inside of your home is in similar disarray. Curb appeal also applies to the outside of your home, like your siding, front door, and windows. You can increase interest in your home just by power washing the house and straightening the yard.
People want to move into a home that is clean, neat, and updated. When your home is on the market, you should highlight the best parts of your home and help people see the potential in the places that need improvement. If people can start to picture themselves in the house, you will have no trouble changing it from yours to theirs.
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