Avoid Being A Listing Loser

Getting your home listed for sale is just one small step. The biggest task at hand is selling your home. With inventories beginning to move quicker, you don't want your home to sit on the market for months without any offers, let alone interest.

Here are the top reasons why a listing isn't selling:

• Unreasonable price: Sellers can be unrealistic about what their house is worth or they may be underwater and can't afford to lower their price tag. A professional Realtor, like myself, will use comparable sales of homes to set the most realistic price. This will prevent having your home sit on the market for months at a time and having to make numerous price reductions.

• Bad decor: Wood paneling, dated wall paper, loud patterns, and even old fashion furnishings will have buyers headed for the hills. When your home is on the market you need to let go of your own personal style and appeal to the widest buying pool. Going neutral gives buyers a clean slate from which they can project their own tastes on. And please, fix any needed repairs, such as water stains, creaky doors, and windows that don’t shut. Even minor flaws in your home can distract buyers.

• Awkward floor plan: Strange or dated floor plans may also make a home linger on the market. In some older homes you have to walk through a bedroom to get to a second bedroom. Other homes may have the dining room on the opposite side of the house from the kitchen. Some simple staging could remedy some floor plan issues. Otherwise, you may find yourself wielding a sledgehammer over the weekend to knock down some walls.

• Awful photos: Most buyers begin their shopping on line and the most vital tool you have to lure them into your home are the photos of your home. If buyers see an unmade bed, laundry on the floor, clutter on the kitchen counters, or even the family pet lounging around the house, it may prompt them to question the hygiene of the rest of the home and even assume there's a lack of storage.

Preparing your home to sell could seem like a daunting task but I always remind my sellers that this is the time to start packing and be mindful of what they are looking for in their next home. These same points would turn them off from a home so it's best to avoid any of these issues when selling their own home.

Like my tips? You'll love what I can do as your Realtor®. Don't forget, if you or someone you know is planning on buying or selling a home, give me a call and I'll make your home ownership dreams come true.

Kristy O'Connor
Realtor®
Weichert, Realtors - Media
606 E. Baltimore Pike, Media, PA
267.243.6434
KristyLOConnor@gmail.com