When Your House Sits on the Market

Some houses get on the market and are snapped up in a day or two, while others sit for months or never sell. We have all seen houses like that. If yours is one of them, you need to consider having a heart-to-heart with your agent. You have a stale listing and some things need to change if you want some action.

Houses fail to sell for one of three reasons: price, condition and location. Let's take a look at each of these so you can address them.

Price

Price is probably the biggest problem to overcome. Even the junkiest houses will sell to investors because the price is right. Look at the comparables with your real estate agent and ask for a competitive market analysis. This will give you a price range where your home should be priced. Also, pick up a list of the houses currently on the market in your subdivision or MLS area. This is your competition.

Has your agent been talking to you about price? It's time to listen.

Condition

Condition is how the house looks, from the outside to the details inside. It says a house has been taken care of.

Curb appeal is incredibly important. Make sure leaves are raked, grass is mowed, bare spots are covered with new grass. If a house looks haunted at dusk the buyers won't even want to look at the rest. The curb appeal is what homeowners present as a public face. If this is dirty, what will it look like inside where no one is looking?

Is the carpet stained, worn or torn? Is the caulking done around the faucets? Is there any broken tile? You don't have to recarpet and repaint, unless the place needs it. If you do paint and recarpet, do it in neutral colors. Reduce the clutter on the walls, the floors and the kitchen. You want the buyers to focus on the house, not the belongings.

A home stager can be invaluable for this. They are experts at moving things around, reducing the clutter and making the most of what you have. Stagers can be fantastic for empty houses, too. They can put in just enough furniture to help buyers envision themselves in the house, but not enough to get in the way.

Location

This is the one thing you can't change now. It was set when you bought the house. You have to make the best of where the house is located. Stress the benefits, like easy access to major roads or close to shopping.

Final Words

You want to sell the house and your agent wants to sell it. Sit down and have a calm and rational discussion about the house's attributes and its pricing. The longer you wait until it's sold, the more you are paying in payments, insurance and taxes. Look at it from a numbers perspective and treat it like the investment it is.