Top 4 Reasons Homes Don’t Sell!
1. Poor Marketing Gone are the days when an agent could simply place your listing with the local multiple listing services, stick a sign in the yard, and wait for another agent to bring forth a buyer. In the past 7 years, computers and the internet have changed the face of real estate. Most agents haven’t kept up. According to the National Association of Realtors (2014 study), 92% of all home buyers now use the Internet for house hunting. Top listing agents are computer-savvy, putting listings on lots of websites, a particular benefit when working with out-of-town buyers. Believe it or not, less than 7% of agents are trained in the fine art of sales and marketing. There are those who rely on a yard sign to do their work for them, and those that put a lot of effort into marketing their listings.
2. Bad Photos You might be surprised how many buyers say ‘NO!’ to houses simply because of poor photos used in ads, the internet or on the Multiple Listing Service. It’s even more amazing that agents let them discard a house based on that criteria, but it happens all the time. Good photos are not always easy to get. The sun isn’t always in an ideal position for the photo. The agent might not be capable of taking a good picture or is just plain lazy. Make sure the house is well represented in all photographs.
3. You Had a Lousy Agent Yep, they exist real estate agents who mislead, misfire and misbehave. Their bad advice can cost you plenty in time, money and the sheer hassle of keeping the place show-ready 24/7. The wrong agent will misrepresent (“Here’s what I can get for you if you list with me!”), not market it properly, fail to screen for qualified buyers, be unresponsive to interest from other agents and keep you totally in the dark throughout the process. What’s more, if your agent is abrasive, arrogant or simply unknowledgeable, other agents may not want the hassle of showing any of their listings to prospective buyers.
4. Pricing Some home sellers want to price their homes above market value because they think the cushion gives them more negotiating room. But what overpricing actually does is eliminate potential buyers. Others price their homes too low, causing potential buyers to wonder ‘what’s wrong with it?’ Your agent should be well informed of the market when helping you price your home.
