Why isn’t my house selling? The average days on the market in Wake County as of Septer 2020 is 18. If your home has been on the market for more than 30 days with no offers it may be a sign that there is a problem. Keep in mind that houses in Raleigh that are priced over $400,000 will take longer to sell. Read on to learn 4 reasons why your house isn’t selling in Raleigh NC.
Too Expensive
Is the price right? Many buyers will not make an offer that is substantially less than the asking price, especially in the current market. So, if your home has been on the market with a good amount of showings, but no offers, it is an indication that the price may be too high.
Perhaps you added in too much of a cushion for negotiation? And you are really willing to take much less than you are asking. If you’re concerned about offers coming in low, there are other options, rather than playing with your price, such as building in contingencies to sweeten the deal, while keeping your asking price as close to the original number as possible.
Lack of Interest
If you’re not getting a lot of showings, or interest in general, it may be the fact that your property does not “fit in” with the surrounding properties. It sounds contrary to common sense but ‘cookie-cutter’ is great for resale.
I once looked at a house where the second bedroom was turned into a living room and an addition was made to the back of the house. This created a very awkward floor plan that was cost-prohibitive to fix. When we buy and renovate houses we always look at comparable properties to see what conforms to the area.
Another reason may be your lack of photo quality or quantity. Buyers are accustomed to shopping online and will disqualify your property if they cannot see every room of the interior with an emphasis on the kitchen and bathrooms.
Badly Staged
While it’s hard to stage a house that you’re living in, in order to sell your house fast and for more money it’s important to follow some basic principles.
- De-clutter
- De-personalize
- Clean like an “obsessive-compulsive”
- Neutral Decor
- Lighting
Personally, I come from a family that never threw anything out so I understand that the concept of de-clutter can be relative. Simply put less-is-more. The fewer items you have in a given space the larger the space will appear. A house with too many personal items and large furniture will appear small and cramped. Buyers don’t respond favorably to this experience.
De-personalize by removing all of your family photos, personal items, knick-knacks, trophies, and anything of an intimate nature.
Houses for sale need to be thoroughly cleaned until they look brand new. This includes hard-to-see areas like baseboards, shelving, door frames and jambs, every crevice of the appliances in the kitchen, etc. I have a professional company that cleans my renovation projects and they take care of everything.
Cookie-cutter sells. This includes paint colors and decorum. The grey family has been the favorite of recent years. Agreeable grey is the most popular, and the choice that appeals to the largest number of buyers. White semi-gloss paint for the trim. If you have a large palette of colors spread out over different rooms I would recommend painting with Agreeable Grey (Sherwyn Williams 7029) or something comparable.
Lighting is important for a home to show well. We always leave all the lights on for every showing and open all curtains and blinds. The more natural light the better.
Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is basically how attractive the entire property appears to a viewer driving by on the street. It is human nature to become accustomed to our surroundings, we cease noticing little things that are slightly out of kilter. It can be extremely helpful to bring everything into focus by taking a photograph of your property as if you were a photographer taking a photo for the cover of a magazine. A lack of curb appeal may just be the reason why your house isn’t selling in Raleigh. Making sure your property has curb appeal would include ensuring the entire property displays a comprehensive appearance of being well maintained.
High-End Luxury Houses
If you have a higher-end luxury home, say over $500,000 in fair market value, keep in mind that these homes have longer average days on market. The pool of buyers is much smaller in these types of homes and the buyers are extremely picky! It’s not uncommon for these homes to be on the market for several months. I would recommend using a Realtor that is experienced with the Luxury market. And yes, you will need to do a lot of prep work to get the home ready for the market.
These are just a few of the possible reasons why your house isn’t selling in Raleigh NC. Tired of waiting for the right buyer? If you would rather save your time and money while skipping all of the headaches and expenses of listing yourself or with a real estate agent, Wake County Home Buyers is here to help. With the added benefit of a quick closing, why not just sell directly to Wake County Home Buyers. Send us a message or call (919) 473-6885 today!