Shelley Koster
Bartlesville & Grand Lake Realtor
In a stable market, the average home takes anywhere from zero – six months to sell. If the market is a little shaky and buyers are hesitant you can be looking at almost a year for a transaction to be made. The process does depend on several different variables.
But, if you find your house is taking an unusual amount of time to sell, – time frame of one year or more – then there might be a problem and a way to fix it.
1. You’re asking too much
The problem: DIY sellers fall into this trap a lot, they come to the conclusion that their home is worth more than it actually is, and anytime they receive an offer, they shoot it down because it is not the price they are looking for.
Your home’s price is up to you, that is true, however, if you want to sell it, then you need to be aware of the variables that make up your home’s price, such as: current market, the age of the home, upgrades/remodels you’ve made, and the neighborhood.
Fixing it: Meet with a real estate agent to determine the actual price your home, what it should be listed at, and always be willing to compromise.
2. You’ve made a bad impression
The problem: Showing your home when it is dirty, cluttered, or disorganized will turn buyers away. In the business we call the process of getting your home ready for showing, staging. When a home is properly staged, the potential buyer will be able to see themselves in the home.
However, when it is not, all the potential buyer can see is the mess that has been made, thus leaving a bad impression.
Fixing it: Clean up your house before showing it, keep everything organized, and declutter your home’s storage areas.
3. You haven’t made repairs
The problem: In some cases it might be necessary to make repairs, for instance, if you have a leaky roof or pipes. Neglecting these repairs could be the reason why buyers aren’t coming back.
Potential buyers do not want to purchase a home that is damaged or that they will be forced to repair as soon as they move in, this will leave your home on the market for quite some time.
Fixing it: The only way to fix it is by fixing it. Make any and all necessary repairs to your home, this will bring buyers back and help you sell your home faster.
4. You’re Trying to do it yourself
The problem: DIY home sellers don’t always have the resources that come with being a real estate agent.
An agent, on average, will spend anywhere from 100 to 200 hours trying to sell your home; this doesn’t include the experience, networking, and relationships they have built up throughout the years. In a competitive market these will make or break a sale.
Fixing it: Hire a real estate agent that is the right fit for you and your home selling needs. If you don’t know anyone, give us a call.
5. You’re making it personal
The problem: You see this happen a lot, homeowners get emotionally connected to their house over time, thus making it hard to give it up to just anyone. These people types are the ones that want to interview and over analyze potential buyers and offers. They’ll wind up rejecting offers that don’t meet their standards.
it pains me to say, but while you do want your home to go to a good buyer, the perfect buyer does not exist.
Fixing it: Separate yourself as much as possible and understand that the perfect buyer does not exist.
Until next time, keep loving our city!
