It can be highly frustrating to be selling a property that is attracting no interest. This can lead to the big question of ‘why isn’t my house selling? Is it too expensive? Too badly decorated?’. There may be a number of reasons why your property isn’t budging. It may just be down to the fact that the market is having a “dry spell” but the chances are it’s a number of reasons that are within your control.
Before putting your property on the market, make sure you speak to a qualified agent about what to expect when selling your property. A good estate agent can help you promote your home correctly in the current marketplace. Knowing what to expect will help avoid any disappointment if your house isn’t generating the interest you expected.
We’ve collected some points you should consider before you market your home or if you are currently on the market and want to increase the response you’re getting.
Make the right first impression
Before selling your home, take a little time to gain a prospective buyer’s attention by giving your home the appeal factor. Your home can not sell by itself. If you’ve experienced maintenance issues that need sorting, this can put people off, so try to address these items in advance. Tidiness is also imperative – don’t let viewers be tripping over toys, magazines or boxes whilst walking around your home. If you have the time & budget, freshly painted exteriors and doors can transform a tired home and put across the idea that the entire home is kept to a high standard. Make the right first impression.
Is the price too high?
Your home may be in crisp condition but if the price does not meet the value of your property or the value of local competition, it will struggle to sell. If it has been sitting on the market for a long time with a high asking price and no initial response, it will make your home less desirable for buyers and it may be time to be more realistic about the value of your property. The price may be too high due to changing market conditions or because an agent gave an aggressively high figure in order to gain your signature on their contract. It is key to stay up to date with how well the market is doing in sellers favours and price your house accordingly – your estate agent should be able to manage this.
Poor marketing
If you feel that your estate agency isn’t doing enough to market your property, it may be an idea to look at agents that offer more than just an online listing on sites like Rightmove & Zoopla. They should be using a pre-qualified list of buyers and utilising all forms of media (newspaper, window cards, social media and property sites), otherwise then you may not be receiving value for money and your property won’t be getting the attention it deserves. Do your homework and look up estate agents online to see how active they are and what marketing channels they utilise. Don’t just settle for the same-old brands you see in your area.
Photography
Are the photos doing your property justice? Photographs of your home could be a deciding factor on whether a buyer will want to make an appointment or not. Estate agents that employ the services of professional estate photographers will outshine an estate agent with an SLR camera any day. Do you really need 10 photographs from different angles of the same room? Sometimes less is more. Choosing the right agent for photos can completely transform how your property appears.
The ‘that will do’ approach
If all of the points above are not applicable to you but your home is still not selling, then maybe the agent is at fault. It is not uncommon for them to have a ‘that will do’ approach when marketing your property and you should expect more. Is your agent hands on and using their initiative? Suggesting new ways to get exposure for your home, rather than just sitting there waiting for the phone to ring? Are they exploring all marketing channels? Rightmove & Zoopla aside, be sure to check their social media presence, as well as if their website is up to date. Do they try and be different to get your business? Look for signs of pro-activeness, and if it isn’t there, maybe it’s time to check your contract and see if you’re able to find a new agent.
At Chalk Street we do things differently.
We are Havering’s first dedicated hybrid estate agency, bringing together the low, fixed fee price structure with a high street presence and exceptional customer service. We employ a number of marketing channels, including a strong social media presence to maximise exposure and generate more responses for our customer’s homes. We also pride ourselves on making your home look it’s very best, and that’s why we use professional photographers who have been in the business for decades – check out our live properties to see how they make a property stand out.