My house is not selling, why?

Are you having trouble selling your home? You are not alone. This is a common problem and there are solutions!

The experts at Courtier Immobilier Lanaudière, realtors in Joliette and Lanaudière, give you 6 tips and advice on how to sell your house fast.

Reasons why a house is not selling

If you’re trying to sell your house and you find that it is taking too long, these are some common themes that may come up:

1. Inappropriate price of the house

A price that is too high, or above market, is the most common thing that scares away a home buyer. If you place yourself too far above your competitors, your home may be overlooked altogether. If you place yourself too low on the market, you might raise mistrust or suspicion among buyers.

Make sure you know the listing price of your home is within range of the current market landscape. The listing price is one of the first things that a buyer will see well before anything else. Today, people are well informed and able to assess the market value of a house.

2. Unfinished home renovations

Are you selling your home but need to remodel the bathroom? Are the baseboards in the living room all damaged and eaten away? Or maybe the flooring in the bedroom is scratched all over? These are not uncommon pain points and can cause reluctancy in potential buyers.

Why? Because potential buyers are about to make a major purchase: having to come up with the extra money afterwards can be a source of reluctancy. People generally expect to get a finished product when they buy a home, so make sure you offer something that is finished. Renovating to sell your home makes perfect sense in cases where defects are preventing you from selling easily.

3. Condition of the house

When you don’t do a thorough cleaning before showings, you’re leaving a bad impression with potential buyers. A simple cobweb in the nook of a ceiling, a piece of furniture covered in dust, or a yellowed caulking can take the buyer out of the picture. Similarly, a messy children’s room or a garage that has not been cleared are sometimes enough to put off potential buyers.

The condition of the house reveals the care you have put into your home. If you don’t prepare your house for sale, who says it wasn’t worse when no one could see it? Help potential buyers envision themselves in the house by clearing out clutter and cleaning up the messy areas.

4. Inadequate sales marketing strategy

A weak or poorly executed marketing strategy can seriously damage your home’s visibility on the market. This can include poor-quality photos, incomplete descriptions, or limited ad exposure. Without proper promotion, even an attractive, well-located property can go unnoticed by potential buyers.

Selling a home requires a certain amount of expertise in this area, and let’s face it, not everyone can do it. 

5. Too much competition in the market

In a market saturated with similar properties, it’s hard to stand out. Buyers have more choice and can be more selective, which means homes can remain unsold simply because there are too many options available. This is particularly problematic if other homes have more attractive features or prices!

6. Bad location and other neighbourhood factors

Sometimes there may be factors that are out of your control. An unpopular neighborhood or a neighborhood with a reputation for being loud or unfriendly may disadvantage you. Being close to a school, a train station or a shopping center can also be a limiting factor. What appeals to some buyers won’t appeal to others.

You will need to increase your efforts to convince buyers. Any house can be sold! You must know how to go about preparing your home to sell fast. This is the job of a real estate broker, who has the expertise to intervene and direct you in the sale of your home. Also, is crime high in your neighborhood, or does it lack local amenities?

Lots of visits but no offer for the sale of a house

If you’re getting a lot of visits, congratulations, that means your visibility is good and your ad is attracting people. But it also means that the problem lies in the second phase of the process, with the house itself. Have the above points caught your attention? Try to cross-reference them with feedback from people who visit your home – you’ll have a lot to learn from their feedback. Because if it’s a question of price, for example, you’ll know. Then it’s time to reassess the price.

Perhaps your property doesn’t quite match up to your presentation photos. Buyers may imagine too much work, or there may be a problem with the surroundings. Perhaps the rooms aren’t as big as they look in the photos.

Buyers have questions to ask when they visit a house. Are you well prepared? Do you contribute to a pleasant visit?

People like your house but it won’t sell anyway?

If your home appeals but doesn’t sell, you may be willing to listen to buyers’ arguments and reasons, and be flexible about negotiating the sale price. At this stage, it’s a good idea to call in a real estate broker to help you understand the reasons why, as they’re used to dealing with these issues and it’s their core business.

What to do if your house is not selling

A buyer has a lot to consider when buying a new house. There are dozens of factors that impact and influence a potential buyer, especially when they are buying a first home. It is possible that your house will appeal to them but will still not sell fast.

Here are 6 tips to overcome the reluctant buyer:

1. List within the market price

A competitive market analysis is the best way to ensure that you are in the right price range. This will ensure that you are offering a realistic price.

Take all possible elements into account and explain them in your ad or during your conversation with potential buyers. Serious buyers are going to want to know if recent work has been done, the condition of the building and its year of construction, the materials used, the orientation of the land and more. All this information will influence the price of the house.

Your real estate agent will be able to help you if you don’t know how to determine the final price of your property based on several factors.

2. Market your house

It is important to maximize the visibility of your property if you want to sell as quickly as possible. To do this:

• Target as many platforms as possible, and remember that social networks play a big role in visibility
• Take quality photos. Highlight your interior with beautiful light and try to represent the space by choosing the right angles
• Make your ad as descriptive as possible. The smallest details will show how much care you take with your home, and how much you want to appeal to future buyers.

If you hire a real estate broker, they will be able to use their network within the market to increase your chances of selling.

3. Clean your property

A clean home gives the buyer a good first impression. Deep clean the inside and outside of your home and property for potential buyers.

Focus on the kitchen and bathroom, two areas that tend to get dirty much faster than others. Mow the lawn and sweep the walkways. Painting the trim, recaulking the bathroom, or even planting beautiful flowers will help prepare your house for selling fast.

4. Home staging

The number-one objective when putting your house up for sale is to make it as uncluttered as possible, so that the buyer can project himself as simply as possible. Family photos, curtains given to you by grandma in incongruous floral patterns and colors are removed, all with the aim of creating an interior conducive to the imagination.

Home staging is a good solution that is inexpensive and effective. Decorating your interior and making it appealing will help potential buyers envision themselves in the house. De-cluttering your home is an essential step. Keep the essential furniture and accent the space and decor with simple and modern highlights.

Choose bright and neutral colours to attract light not only for the decoration, but also in the paintings you strategically place. Repaint your interior in white or beige to give it a minimalist look.

5. Pay attention to detail

Another principle of home staging is attention to detail. Creating an atmosphere can help put reluctant buyers into a serious mindset.

Pay attention to the placement of objects and the lighting. Placing candles in a strategic way and using attractive smells to appeal to as many senses as possible are details often overlooked by sellers. The goal is to help buyers see potential in the house. Smells reinforce warm atmospheres.

During the showing, show hospitality. Providing light pastries and beverages can help put potential buyers at ease. Smile and be confident because your attitude also plays a key role in the details!

6. Hire a real estate agent

Selling a property on the market requires certain knowledge and a variety of skills. Choosing a real estate agent can help you sell your house quickly.

Great houses sometimes don’t sell fast. Figuring out what the problem is can be a challenge. The experience of a good real estate broker is a great solution. They have the capability, skills and networks to help sell your house quickly.

Choose Courtier Immobilier Lanaudière to sell your house fast

Guillaume Tremblay and his team will be delighted to assist you. If you have a house to sell in Rawdon or Lanaudière, we are here for you.

Contact us now and put your property in the hands of experts who want to help you feel good about selling quickly. RE/MAX brokers are real estate specialists who are passionate about their work!

Courtier Immobilier Lanaudière, your ally in selling your home fast

Guillaume Tremblay and his team will be delighted to assist you. If you have a house to sell in Rawdon or Lanaudière, we’re here for you.

Contact us today and entrust your project into the hands of experts, eager to help you feel good about selling quickly. RE/MAX Prestige brokers are real estate specialists with a passion for what they do!