Want to know what kind of things to clean out when getting your home on the market?  I know you have all heard about the personal items.  Next thing is fake plants and fake flower arrangements.  Occasionally a small green plant as an accent is fine but don't have a house full of greenery. 

Reasons Your Home Isn't Selling!

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  Outdated Paint- I know you don't want to paint because whomever buys is going to want to paint their own colors right?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. 

Going Where The Competition Is To Find Your Buyer

Your competition is the new home market.  Where there is property available the new home builders are seizing the opportunity.  The buyers are looking at the new homes.  They are comparing the new homes to those already on the market.  So what better avenue to advertise any home than to catch the buyers as they first start looking when they are driving through the new homes neighborhoods? 

At this point buyers aren't ready to commit many times, and haven't yet determined their price point.  They are just exploring the market and trying to see what the price points are and what you get for this price or that.  Seizing the opportunity to show my resale listings at these meetings is a great extra offered to my sellers.  While sitting as a fill in agent at these new home models many times if that home or other homes offered by the builder aren't what they are looking for, then I may have the opportunity to introduce this prospect to one of my listings. 

Just because someone comes in at a $300,000 model home doesn't mean they are a $300,000 buyer.  They may not be able to afford that much, but many times I find that they are looking for even more than what they are finding at their first stop. 

I have been selling new homes for years.  My very first sale in 1999 was a new home.  I love new home sales.  I have been filling in for various agents and builders for years.  Whether I could help you with a new home or one offered as a re-sale, I am here to help. 

The Pitfalls of the For Sale By Owner

 Recently I did an open house for which I had another agent there with me.  Thankfully, I had someone else there with me.  A person came in the house, looked around, seemed interested then went in the master bedroom and shut the door.  So, first 3 minutes you think this is just kind of something that he maybe did by mistake, then after 5 minutes you start to wonder should you open the door?  As the time goes by and now 15 minutes has passed.....you start to think about what decision you will make.  Now you look at your watch and 22 minutes has passed!!!  Should you knock on the door, should you ask if everything is ok, should you let them know this is unacceptable, should you call the police, etc?  What on earth? 

1.  So if you are a For Sale By Owner watch out for Open House viewers.
This hasn't been my only incident.  I have also had people go in back rooms and unlock windows, things come up missing after an open house and the list goes on.  An agent's sign at a minimum, does let the prospect know that a professional is inside, they may or may not be alone and that many people know where they are and what they are doing.

2.  How will you do your contract when you get a buyer?  Will you go to Office Depot and purchase a real estate contract?  Be ware, Office Depot's and the like, are not just in Alabama, they are in most every state.  Yes, they will have a very generic contract but it may not be state or county specific.  You may need an attorney to review your contract.  There will be things not covered on this contract that need to be addressed.  Does this contract address how taxes are paid in your state or county? How about an inspection and how long does the buyer have to get the inspection?  Once they get an inspection, how long do they have to let you know how it went? Will you get a copy of the inspection? How long do you have to respond?  When is closing, who are you closing with, who pays for title, who pays for title insurance?  Does the buyer know what it is going to cost him to close?  On and on.

3.  Inspections:  Maybe your buyer doesn't want an inspection.  After all they are friends with aunt so and so and they know you took good care of your home.  Well 2 weeks later the roof leaks and they say you knew it and didn't disclose it.  Well, so isn't Alabama a buyer be ware state?  Well yes it is but if you didn't encourage them to have an inspection they may think you were trying to mislead them ...so they say, and who would know.  As a realtor, I must advise them to have an inspection and if they don't want one that is fine but they will sign a form saying that I have advised them against buying without an inspection

4.  What about those closing cost?  Does your buyer know what it is going to cost them to close?  As a realtor, I am required by law to give them an "estimate" of closing.  You as a for sale buy owner wouldn't be.  But when they get to closing will they be able to close?  Did they know their loan would cost them x,xxx.xx?  What about the taxes and escrow account?  Did they know they had to set that up?  The lender will probably give them all this info but have they applied?  Are you taking your sign out of the yard without a pre approval letter?  What is the difference between a pre approval and a pre qualification? 

5.  Earnest Money:  Did you get earnest money? Who is holding it? What are the rules? In the state of Alabama, as a Realtor, it is held in a trust account until closing and once there is a ratified contract the earnest money cannot be returned to either party without the written consent of both parties.

6.  When are you moving out?  Are your buyers doing a final walk thru?  Are you going to move out before closing? Or at closing?  Are you going to have your buyers sign a form saying they are accepting the home as it is at that time?  Do you have that form?  Maybe you should ask the attorney to draw one up for you $$.

7.  Are you staying past closing?  Hmmm.  Is your home insured?  How about the contents?  What if someone gets hurt?  Will that fall on you the seller or the new owner?

8.  What if your heat and air stops working the day before closing?  Should you fix it?  Normally that is covered in the contract and the owner would fix it up until closing.  What if it stops working as soon as the new owner returns to start moving in?  Are you covered for that?  What does your contract say about that?

9.  If you have a dispute arise, who will you turn to?  Will you be left to hash it out personally with your buyer or will you have a realtor to help you sort through those misunderstandings?

10.  So many things can happen in today's world with a real estate transaction.  Keep it simple.  Hire a Realtor. 

Adding Video

This is a video recently done for a new listing.  Short simple videos to walk through and talk about a home are good for quick social media post but a professionally done video can enhance your property. This video highlights many of the custom features of the home. 

Spring Update

Looking for a fresh approach for your home on the market?  Try some updated spring photos with the beautiful landscaping in bloom.  Before you make those photos, should you do a fresh trim and maybe a pressure wash?  Put your best foot forward to show off your homes curb appeal.  It's selling season!

Visit my website and give me a call for a free market analysis of what your home might sell for in today's market.

Want to talk now?  Send me an email.

Professionally done video about your property and area can help add lots of value to your listing. These type of videos are rarely done by other agents. It is one of my unique nitches for getting properties noticed!