If the excitement of selling your home has waned and the viewings have tailed off, it’s time to start asking some questions as to why the sale of your home has ground to a halt. In order to find the answers, we need to review all the issues that may be affecting your next move.
Firstly, let’s assume that before you asked an agent round to value your home, and before each viewing, you had cleaned, polished, redecorated, had the gutters and facias cleaned or renewed, replaced the tired looking kitchen units, fixed the broken light, touched up the scuffed skirting boards, de-cluttered and packed away any overly personal items, had the carpets cleaned, and repainted the front door. Of course, you should only have to redecorate or renew guttering once, but each viewing should be treated the same as the first, so make sure you put the effort in to ensure it looks as best as it can do.
Secondly, how is your marketing material? With fresh eyes and maybe the opinion of your friends & family, have a look at how your estate agent has presented your home. Is the main photo a real head turner? Is there mention of the best features of your home in the opening summary? Is there anything that’s not in your listing that really ought to be, such as a large development on the other side of the fence, or that there is no garden suitable for children to play in? Hiding or leaving out important details is a waste of time for all concerned. Take a look at our Rightmove advertising test and see how your advert stacks up.
How is your estate agent? Perhaps you have had many viewings, but no interest. Could it be that your agent has simply played the number game, and sent lots of people in the hope that one of them will make an offer? It’s vitally important that the right viewers are shown your home and that their situation and circumstances are qualified by your agent beforehand.
Are you getting any feedback following viewings? Showing potential buyers around a home requires skill and experience, and it's often best to allow potential buyers to see your home when you’re not there. It is difficult for some viewers to be truly open and honest about the property when the current owner is there for fear of causing offence. Having your agent conduct the viewings allows the viewer to speak their mind openly and without this authentic feedback, it is difficult to really understand what’s holding the sale back.
Could you present your home differently? Without wishing to sound harsh, if you are getting viewers through the door but then not receiving any offers, then those people don’t like what they see. Have you maximised all the space, or presented an aspirational lifestyle that your home could afford to them? Perhaps your furniture could be rearranged, or moved out altogether to create alternative room functions? Could you pack up some of the children’s toys or books to prevent thoughts that there’s no storage? As owners, we are often too close to notice what others may do. Get brutally honest opinions from friends. It’s time to think of your property as an asset you are selling and not so personally. Perhaps it’s time to hire a home stylist to assist in showing off the space and features?
At Alexander Gibson, one of our specialities is selling homes that have been on the market for a long time. We offer fresh, practical advice and our creative marketing strategies will have them queueing at the door in no time. Houses just like yours are selling and selling quickly. There are plenty of people looking to buy them, and with our help, we are sure that we can find the right one for your home.