3 minute read
Selling a property isn’t always an overnight process. While some homes find buyers quickly, others take a bit more time to attract the right interest — and that’s perfectly normal in today’s open market.
If your home has been on the market longer than you envisaged, it’s a good time to reassess and explore ways to boost its appeal. From adjusting your marketing approach to fine-tuning your presentation, small changes can make a big difference toward a successful sale.
Revisit your asking price
Your asking price doesn’t need to be wildly overpriced to deter buyers from making a move. Even just a few thousand over the expected range can lead to your property being overlooked. Remember, buyers set strict filters when searching online and if your property doesn’t fall into their budgeted range, it won’t even show up.
Poor timing to list your home
The golden windows for listing properties are usually spring and early autumn. Most people either want to be moved-in before the summer or before the Christmas season. If you listed during peak summer or the festive season – or even amid times of financial uncertainty – you may be missing your target audience. The good news is that you can always take it off the market and relist when conditions improve.
Your photos are misleading
In the competitive open market, first impressions count. Many prospective buyers begin their home-buying journeys online. If your property images are unflattering or dark, they may just scroll on to other homes.
Similarly, your photos may be misleading. If viewers uncover major issues like an overlooked or unloved garden only when they see the property in person, it can be a real turn-off. Make sure the photos are seasonally appropriate too.
Your chain is making buyers uneasy
It’s worth considering the length of your chain too. If you’re having to tell viewers that the chain has four, five, or even six properties, it could be the chain that’s making prospects hesitant to make offers.
One way to avoid bottlenecks to a chain, or the risk of a chain collapsing entirely, is to consider a cash buyer. There are sell house fast platforms online that can provide cash offers on properties within a matter of hours. Better still, they have the cash in the bank to complete a transaction in as little as a week. Sure, the cash price may be a tad below the market value, but the speed, certainty and lack of stress may be worth it – especially if you’ve already been waiting months.
The local market may be saturated
The final point of note is the local property market itself. Is supply far outweighing demand right now? Find out if several other properties are also on the market. In this scenario, it’s no surprise that buyers feel like they have the upper hand in negotiations. It may be worth liaising with the estate agent and get them to highlight the truly unique selling points of your home.
Closing the sale of your home can often feel like a game of chess that you didn’t sign up for. But if you’re bemused at the lack of action, it may well be down to one or two of these overlooked issues.
