Selling a house, especially in California, should be relatively easy — considering the real estate market climate in the state. But if your home still isn’t selling despite the favorable market trends, then you need to find out why. Check out the possible reasons below:
Your home is priced too high
Putting a price tag is critical in getting a home sold. Price your home too high without any viable cause and you’ll be pushing buyers away.
That’s why a real estate agent’s help in finding the right price for your home prior to its sale can do you a lot of good. This agent can provide you with comps of sold properties in your neighborhood that are similar to yours and give you developments in the local market. This information can come in handy in determining a good price point for your home.
The house is “not prepped” to sell
Buyers want to picture themselves living in your home. But if they see your personal stuff and clutter scattered all over the place during a visit or a virtual walkthrough then painting that mental picture becomes difficult.
Staging your home for sale helps to boost its appeal among potential buyers. And you need not spend too much for this. Just allot some time to give your home a thorough clean, keep decor at a minimum, and make sure every living space is well-illuminated. If you can afford to repaint your walls in neutral hues and update your cabinet and wall hardware, then much better.
Listing photos aren’t doing your home justice
When they begin their search for a new home, 43% of buyers go online first. Much of what they’ll be browsing are pictures of homes for sale in listings, as well as their respective descriptions. If listing photos of your home are below par, chances are that buyers will lose interest in your listing and move on to the next one.
Make sure you understand the basics of photography when taking pictures intended for your listing. Go for high-resolution photos and those that show the best form of your home. But if you’re unsure of your own photography skills then you can hire a professional photographer to do the job.
The house needs some work
A majority of buyers prefer a live-in-ready home. They don’t want to worry about repair, maintenance works, and remodeling. If they see that your home needs a major upgrade or two before they can move in, they can either negotiate for a lower price or return to their home search.
Maintaining your home and keeping it in tip-top shape can be done on a regular basis. That way, you avoid or minimize the occurrence of potential issues such as broken appliances, cracks in walls, stained floor tiles, and the like.
Not getting a real estate agent
Sure, you can DIY the home-selling process. After all, real estate in various communities in the state, including La Cañada Flintridge, and Glendale, can easily sell in this buyers’ market. However, the risk of making mistakes in the process is high. Moreover, if you lack negotiation skills, you may end up on the losing end of the transaction.
This is what I’m here for.
I’m Kathy Seuylemezian, one of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s top agents. My team and I are here to guide you toward home-selling success. Contact us at 818.949.5205 or send me an email at kathy(at)imuragent(dotted)com.