Why Is My House Not Selling? 5 Reasons Your Lane County Home Might Not Be Selling

The housing market in Lane County continues to boom and you’ve been trying to sell to no avail. So you wonder,  “if things are so great, why isn’t my house selling?” Experts say that there are five main reasons why your house may not be moving, even if you’re in a strong market.

1. Your Home Lacks Appeal

This is a hard one for some home-owners, especially if they’ve lived in that home for a couple of decades. However, did you take a good, objective look at your house before you put it on the market? Have you researched what attributes the homes that ARE selling in your area have in common? If not, it’s time to take a step back. This may answer the question, “Why isn’t my house selling?”

However, when many of the houses in your neighborhood are remaining on the market with little or no interest, there could be factors beyond your control that are impacting sales negatively. If that’s the case, it’s more important than ever to make sure that your home stands head and shoulders above the rest. To get a good idea of what you can do, take a look at the data on local listings and see where you can exceed potential buyer’s expectations.

By the same token, if area sales are booming but your house is being ignored, what do those homes have that yours doesn’t? Perhaps their owners all updated kitchens and bathrooms, installed new flooring or took care of long needed repairs, or have a magical unicorn in the back that come with the house. Whatever the difference is, your house will need to show at least as well, if not better, than others.

2. Your Photos Are Less Than Stellar

Alright, so you’re not a professional photographer. However, these days, even the cameras on our phones generally have enough bells and whistles to brighten up a dull photo.

When taking pictures of your house here are a few things to consider:

Quantity

Why take photos of just one bedroom when you can take pictures of all of them? Prospective buyers love see as many of the rooms as possible, especially those that they are likely to spend a lot of time in, like the kitchen. Photos gives a sense of the space and layout and they also help potential buyers imagine how their belongings will look in a new space. And, it’s not just the interior. Take some shots of the yard, garden and any outbuildings. Adding a brief caption to the photos also helps to add life to the image. Simply put, listings with lots of photos are going to attract more notice.

Quality

Wide angles and lots of light are going to give viewers a better sense of the house you hope to sell them. Wide angles will allow a possible buyer to see more of the room and better imagine their own belongings in the space. They also give the impression of greater space.

Natural light can be a photographer’s best friend. Rooms that are filled with sunshine are going to appear more welcoming and are friendlier.

Space and warmth

Rooms filled with furniture can look crowded. Before snapping those photos, move a few things out. Open up the room to give the sense of plenty of space and room to spread out. Also, remove clutter so that a prospective buyer sees your rooms at their best.

Don’t go TOO far, though! You want your house to look clean and inviting, not sterile. Encourage warmth by setting the table, fluffing pillows and, if you have a fireplace, lighting the fire.

3. You Need To Kick Up Your Marketing Efforts

It can take a lot of effort and imagination to sell a home and different people respond to different kinds of advertising. That’s why successful sellers diversify their methods. If you’ve considered the suggestions above but are still saying, “My house isn’t selling!”, this might be a reason.

When it comes to marketing, postcards, flyers and newspaper ads are important, but so are newer forms of advertising like virtual home tours and using social media. Open houses timed for days when people are free to explore their real estate options are also great methods.

4. You Need to Find the Right Listing Agent

In every industry, people tend to specialize. That’s true in real estate as well. Some agents are experienced and skilled at selling quickly. Others are better at getting the highest price. Still others might specialize in rural sales or focus on the suburbs and urban areas. The keys to finding the right agent are research and communication.

There are all sorts of questions that can help you learn more about your agent. For example:

• How many houses do they sell in a year?
• How often have they sold homes for the full asking price?
• If interest and your home is stagnant, what is their plan to change that?

If the agent’s answers don’t satisfy you, or they don’t have a solid plan to get things moving, it might be time to look elsewhere.

5. You’re Expecting Too Much

Expectations are funny things and overpricing your house is a sure way to disappointment. Not only are you unnecessarily adding to the time it will be on the market, you’re likely to feel less than satisfied when it DOES sell for a lower price.

Pricing a home is an art. Few people want to admit that their house isn’t as good as or better than others in their neighborhood, but there are many factors that go into setting a reasonable asking price. Take a moment to research what other houses in your area have recently sold for.

• What advantages do those houses have over yours?
• What’s better about your home when compared to those recent sales?

Location, appearance and condition can all play an important role in the difference between one home’s sale price and another. Pricing your home and setting your expectations reasonably and setting your expectations are likely to lead to a quicker and more satisfying sale.

So Why Isn’t My House Selling?

Yes- it can be a bit overwhelming to consider all the reasons your home isn’t selling. While many home owners love doing things themselves, there does come a time where it’s wise to hire a professional to do all of this for you. If you’re just getting ready to sell, or having trouble selling, give me a call or email me and I can help take a look at what’s going on.

Helping you make it home,

Leah

leah@leahhyland.com

541-729-2656