It can be disheartening if your home has been on the market for a while and you’ve not had any offers and a handful of viewers. Are you wondering why nobody seems to like your home? Sure, friends tell you it is lovely, but why hasn’t anyone bought it?
Your agent is probably pushing you to reduce the asking price again but you’ve already done this and it hasn’t got you anywhere. Does your agent blame current market conditions in Harrogate and the surrounding areas? The uncertainty of Brexit? The time of year (again)? I’m sure you’ve heard all the excuses under the sun. A quick look at Rightmove shows a property for sale near Harrogate for over 7 years with the same agent! Lots of others at over 4 years, but there is simply no need for this. There are other factors to why a house isn’t selling rather than blaming it on external influences.
Rest assured – the market in our area is strong. Here at Alexander Gibson, we regularly sell homes within 48 hours, and sometimes even before they go on to the market! Demand is high at all levels, and we have plenty of buyers on our books looking for their next home. No matter what the market conditions, there will always be someone looking to move home. Moving for their own personal reasons, reasons unaffected by political instability, market trends or worry over the housing market. If the desire is strong enough a buyer will make it happen.
So, why isn’t your home selling? Should you worry about your house sale? When we look at reasons why a home isn’t selling or the likelihood of a sale, there are three key elements we focus on. Presentation, promotion and price.
1. Presentation
The best way you can help your home sale is to ensure that you present your home to the highest possible standards. A well-presented, well maintained and loved home will always attract more attention than one that is not.
It’s a good idea to go back to basics here. Look at your home through the eyes of your buyer. Try to imagine what they will see and smell and how your home will make them feel. Make a list of improvements and rectify any areas you can. Make sure your home is clean and clutter free from top to bottom. Complete any unfinished DIY jobs. Freshen up your décor and give your walls a fresh lick of paint. Tidy and smarten up your outside areas. Take pride in your home – this will shine through on the property photographs and will be clearly evident when you have viewings.
For more advice on perfecting your presentation see our blog here: https://bit.ly/2KXJ6lf
2. Promotion
This relates to how your estate agent is promoting and marketing your home. Generally, your estate agent’s marketing will consist of your property photographs, the write up, a brochure (if they produce one), your Rightmove advert and any other printed advertisements that they use.
It is your estate agent’s marketing that will catch your buyer’s eye. This is your perfect opportunity to draw your buyer in and wow them. To do this, you have to have the very best marketing.
Your photographs should be taken by a professional photographer. Your description should sell the lifestyle in a poetic way that appeals to your buyer’s senses. If your home has wonderful surroundings then specialist aerial photography should be used to show this off.
Your photographs should be taken by a professional photographer. Your description should sell the lifestyle in a poetic way that appeals to your buyer’s senses. If your home has wonderful surroundings then specialist aerial photography should be used to show this off.
Finally it should all be packaged up in a beautiful way through a professionally designed and printed brochure. A brochure brings all the marketing elements together in a way a buyer can feel and touch. It makes the photos come alive and jump off the page. This is a much better way to attract a buyer than looking at images online or on a smart phone. Here at Alexander Gibson we always encourage our buyers to order a brochure for this very reason.
The job of your agents marketing is to attract a potential buyer so that they are compelled to book a viewing. If your marketing is not up to much then you will not attract as many viewers. No viewers, no offers.
Here at Alexander Gibson we offer the best property marketing around. We always use a professional photographer, we write interesting and engaging property descriptions and we commission a specialist designer to create a bespoke brochure which is then professionally printed. We do not believe in a one size fits all approach. We wrap our marketing around each home individually because each home is different.
Here at Alexander Gibson we offer the best property marketing around. We always use a professional photographer, we write interesting and engaging property descriptions and we commission a specialist designer to create a bespoke brochure which is then professionally printed. We do not believe in a one size fits all approach. We wrap our marketing around each home individually because each home is different.
3. Price
Whilst price is not the only reason a home doesn’t sell, it does impact. Your asking price should reflect a true market value right from the start. The first suggestion most agents have to get a house sale moving is to reduce the price. Be careful of this, reducing over and over can have a negative effect. It can put buyers off, they assume something is wrong with your home. They will wonder why it hasn’t been snapped up already.
Avoid ‘testing the market’, always price correctly, right from the start. If you have fallen into the trap of reducing and reducing and still your home is not selling, stop – take a look at the two other key elements we suggest above. Your presentation and your agents marketing. One of these or both could be to blame.
To get the best possible outcome all the elements – presentation, promotion and price, need to be working together. A well-presented home, supported by high quality marketing that is priced at true market value will sell, regardless of market conditions or the latest political headlines. Get all three of these right and there is absolutely no need to worry about your house sale.
If you are struggling to sell your home, review each of these factors. When you have identified what needs to improve speak to your agent. If you are updating your presentation, new images will need to be taken. If you feel you the marketing is not up to scratch your agent will need to redo their marketing. Ask your agent for practical advice on how you can get your sale going. If you find your agent is being awkward and not working with you seriously consider changing agent.
Do you need help identifying why your home isn’t selling? Are you worried about your house sale and don’t know where to turn? We will be happy to offer you advice and help on how you can improve your chances of selling. Call us on 01423 563077, email talk@alexandergibson.co.uk or visit our website at www.alexandergibson.co.uk.
Find out more about how we can help you if you are struggling to sell your home http://www.alexandergibson.co.uk/struggling-sell
For advice on choosing the right estate agent for you, see our blog http://www.alexandergibson.co.uk/content/high-street-online-or-hybrid-wh...