So, its a hot market and you thought if you just put your house on the market it would sell? Now 2 months in....no offers.
1. As pictured above- Photography. Did you clean the house up to get it ready for the market? Oh, I know, its a hot market so everybody wants your house. The inventory is limited so no need to clean right? Actually buyers are looking for a move in ready home and this pictures screams that nobody cared for this home. After all the seller didn't even care what it looked like when the pictures were made to put it on the internet for all the world to see so have they even changed the air filter in the last 30 years. Pictures are the first impression. You don't have to have new everything but it needs to be clean. Clean off the counters and add something appealing to the kitchen such as a pretty bouquet of fresh flowers or an open cook book on a stand.
2. Price- You raised your kids here, they played catch in the back yard and your home is your heart!! Therefore, it must be worth more than what everyone else sold their house for. This is a business decision, keep your emotions off the table. Remember the home crisis of 2006-2010? This is fresh on the mind of buyers. No one wants to over pay. The best time to get an offer is when it first hits the market. Don't overprice your home just to give it a try. It will only cause you to need to reduce it later and cause it to rack up days on the market. In a hot market if your home has been on the market too long buyers start to think there must be something wrong. Showings slow and you may need to drop it down lower than it would have sold for in the first few weeks. Over pricing a home cost you money in the long run.
3. Too much stuff- You want to sell and move, right? Well if you are serious about it go ahead and rent a storage building. Start with packing up any personal items or things you may be emotionally attached to. Remove extra furniture, re arrange remaining furnishings to maximize space.
4. Outdated Paint- I know you don't want to paint because whomever buys is going to want to paint their own colors right? Well, purple paint could cost you $$$. Dark rooms, bright yellow, gold, red, green....buyers say, "this is going to cost a lot of money to paint over". Go ahead and do it yourself, better yet hire it done. The worst thing about paint is a bad paint job. Hire a professional, it will save you thousands on final price.
5. Got Carpet- Get it cleaned. Got smelly animal odors- deep clean and freshen. Got chewed up window faces from pets- replace it now or get ready for a lower than necessary offer.
6. Call a Realtor- I know it is a hot market but do you have a pocket full of buyers looking for a home? Who does? Realtors do. They have people waiting for your home to hit the market. They just may not know it is on the market or may not show it if it isn't listed.
