When you are eager to move house and start a new life because you have had a job offer somewhere else in the country, you want to move closer to family, or you simply want to upsize, there’s nothing worse than seeing your home linger on the market. You may have located a real estate agent with plenty of properties like yours on their books and you might feel like you have taken all the advice given to you by property experts. However, sometimes properties don’t fly off the market like the home makeover TV shows would lead you to believe. Take a look at these three reasons why your home might not be finding its elusive buyer.
Presentation
If your home is cluttered, you cannot see the floor for the toys strewn across the living room, and the storage is bursting at the seams, the idea of a light, airy and spacious pad is not being depicted. You need to seduce buyers with a lifestyle. If your home is a little too niche and full of personal knick-knacks, it’s time to box them up and put them into the attic. If your bookcases and cupboards are fit to burst, do a spot of reorganizing to allow more space to emerge. Empty space shouldn’t be feared – you don’t have to fill every shelf with an ornament. Present your home in a neutral way. This means whipping out the white paint and getting rid of the bold leopard print wallpaper in the bedroom and avocado green bathroom suite. Buyers want plain and simple decor so they can put their own mark onto a property.
Price
If you are listing your home for the price that your real estate agent suggested, you might find yourself being led up the garden path. A real estate agent that is reputable will be honest and value your home realistically and price it to sell. Others may be keen for your business and list at an over-inflated price. You need to do your own research into the local area and see what equivalent homes to yours have sold for in the previous three years. You need to pitch your list price accordingly. If you are eager to buy a home fast because you have spotted your dream home, you may want to sell fast too. This is where professional homebuyers can be useful as they will offer to buy your pad no matter what state it is in.
Exterior
Curb appeal is becoming more important to homeowners than ever before. You need to ensure that the render on your pad isn’t peeling, the front garden lawn is freshly mowed, and that you have weeded your border plants. Doing this will enable you to create a well-coiffed front area so that the first impressions created are positive. If you are fortunate enough to have a decent-sized plot for your rear garden, keep things simple. Have a patio area for your alfresco dining set and a lawn area where children can have a kickabout. If you aren’t very green-fingered, keep this neat and tidy, and your potential buyers can make their own gardening mark on the space.
Your home may not be selling fast, so take heed of this advice to speed up your ability to purchase your next home.