Let’s now look at each of these reasons houses don’t sell in more detail.
1. An unrealistic asking price will put buyers off
Probably the number one reason why houses don’t sell is because the asking price is unrealistic. If you over value your home and put on with an estate agent at the wrong price, it will not sell.
Houses that are priced incorrectly may not even get viewings. You need to get viewings to sell your home, which may seem obvious. But you’d be surprised at how many home owners make this mistake. But estate agents also make this mistake for you.
Some estate agents even manipulate you to get the contract to sell your home by over-pricing your house. Some agents over-value to make you feel good about your home. But this is a mistake, as your home just won’t sell at the wrong price. What will end up happening is the price will need to be dropped.
However, this may affect the sale-ability of your house, as this will put some buyers off. They will wonder what’s wrong with it, if the price needs to be dropped.
Many home owners need to achieve a certain selling price to pay off the mortgage and to have enough left over for a deposit for their new home.
House sell for what they are worth to buyers, not what you owe on your mortgage!
Be realistic with your valuation. Ask at least two , if not three estate agents around to value your home. Take a look at Zoopla house prices to see what houses are going for on your street.
2. Your house doesn’t give a good first impression
You can never make a second first impression.
You need to show your house off in the best possible light. People make quick decisions about whether they want to buy or not. Many things can put them off, which can be even before they cross your threshold.
Do your walls need a fresh coat of paint? Does the front door need attention? Is your garden looking nicely kept and tidy? Have you removed all the personal effects around the home and de-clutted every room. Are your carpets worn and threadbare? You may need to re-carpet all or part of your house to help it sell.
Stand in front of your home and look at it through a buyers eyes. Go around your house with a different set of eyes and be critical.
If you have a dog, have you made sure your house doesn’t smell of dog? This can put potential home-buyers off. This applies for any other pets you may have that smell. Consider taking your pets away until your house is sold.
3. A tired and out-dated kitchen will not attract buyers
Most home owners know that kitchens sell houses. Take a close look at your kitchen and if its looking tired and out of date, consider replacing it.
If you can’t afford to replace your whole kitchen, consider either painting the doors or simply replacing them with a more modern look. This can be done relatively cheaply and the results can be amazing.
If you don’t have an up to date modern looking kitchen, buyers will either be put off completely, or they will be looking to reduce the asking price to take account of replacing the kitchen.
Always make sure that things are put away in the kitchen and the sink is clean and tidy. Having a sink full of dirty pots and pans can put buyers off.
The second room in a home that sells a house is the bathroom or bathrooms. If you have an out dated coloured sink, toilet and bath this will put buyers off.
If your bathroom is out dated and the wrong colour, this will either put buyers off completely, or they will be looking to reduce the asking price to take account of replacing the bathroom.
If your home is full of unusual and outlandish colour schemes you must tone this down.
A neutral colour is important, so that buyers can look at your house and either feel they can add their own splash of colour, or like it for its neutral tones.
Find out what the latest colour schemes that are used in new or modern homes. Buy the latest house or homes magazines to get some ideas.
Always remember neutral colours help to sell houses.
6. Your estate agent isn’t working hard enough to get buyers through your door
If you choose the wrong estate agent this could stop you from selling your home. Use a referral from someone who’s used an agent before. But make sure the agent you’re using is the right one for the type of house you’re selling.
Make sure the agent is proactive and test them by asking a friend to call them on your behalf. Make sure they are listing your home on Rightmove too.
It’s arguable that there’s a right time and a wrong time to sell your house. Having said that, if you price your property right there will usually be buyers in the market.
Be careful in the wrong market or at the wrong time of year, as this could mean your property stagnates and stays on the market for too long. Buyers can be put off by a house that’s been up for sale for months. Buyers will worry what’s wrong with your house and give it a wide birth.
Traditionally a good time to sell a house is at Easter or just after the Easter holidays. Whereas a bad time to sell is leading up to Christmas.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the reasons houses don’t sell
If you’ve enjoyed this article on the reasons houses don’t sell please share it on your favourite social media site.
Also, if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below too. Alternatively, if you need more help because your house won’t sell, please feel free to contact us on our contact us page here.
Top 7 Reasons Houses Don’t Sell (You Must Read This)
When Should You Reduce The Price Of Your House?… When should you reduce the price of your house is a question asked by sellers who's house is not selling. Consider how long it's been on the market. Have you…
Does Upgrading Your Kitchen Add Value To Your Home… When looking at which home improvements add the most value to your house, you need to look at those that have maximum impact. It's estimated that a new kitchen will…
Should I Paint My House Before Selling : You should paint your house before selling, which includes painting the front door, windows and any outside render for a first good impression and paint the interior of your…
Article written by Russell Bowyer who has been investing in property since purchasing his first commercial property in the 1990's for his own Chartered Accountancy business. But his first property investment project was to turn an old dilapidated restaurant into a large 5-bed home, which he purchased for £117,500 and sold for £450,000 (to see an "after" photo of the house before it was sold see here: About). Russell owns a number of investment properties, which includes houses, flats and HMO's. More recently he has turned his creative side to investing in property using lease options. His largest lease option deal to date was to acquire 12 properties worth over £2 million for just £12, which means he paid just £1 to acquire each property!
