What Should You Do If Your Home Isn't Selling?


It can be very frustrating to put your home on the market, expecting a fast sale, only to find that after six months you're still waiting for an offer. What can you do?

First, determine if it's a result of timing. You may have started worrying too soon. If it has been only a month and you haven't gotten a bite, not to worry. The time a home stays on the market is related to the market's strength, which varies regionally. According to The 2003 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, two-thirds of all homes sold in the United States in 2003 sold within two month, with the average sale taking place within five weeks. However, homes in the Northeast and West sold slightly faster (four weeks) than those in the Midwest and South (five weeks).

Of course, other factors may be responsible for your home not selling.

Inaccurate pricing. A house priced at market value piques the interest of real estate professionals and buyers, while overpricing chases them away. Even if the seller adjusts the price later, it's difficult to recapture people's interest.

Because it's only natural to overestimate the value of one's home, homesellers should depend on factual reference points, such as an appraisal and comparables (Comparable Market Analysis or CMA) to help estimate market value. Real estate professionals prepare comparables by examining similar properties that recently sold in a neighborhood. This practice is the best way to arrive at a realistic asking price.

Insufficient exposure. If you're selling your home on your own, you may want to consider using a real estate professional. As reported in the previously mentioned NAR study, buyers were most likely to learn about the home they purchased through a real estate professional. Sales professionals develop comprehensive marketing strategies to sell a home. They generally use open houses, yard signs, MLS, newspaper ads, the Internet and brochures to give a property maximum exposure. Limited interest and thinly attended open houses may indicate a need for more exposure.

Condition and appearance of a home. Sellers shouldn't rely on buyers to use their imagination; they need to capture it. Remember that buyers may see seven or eight homes in a single day. The most memorable home will be the one that seemed the brightest, the most spacious, the most cheerful. This invariably means rearranging and eliminating furniture, removing excess knickknacks and so on, to create an open, uncluttered look. Outside, do a visual check of the front of the house from across the street. Does it have curb appeal? It should look inviting, with a trimmed lawn and a freshly painted front door. A real estate professional can offer some guidance in this area.

Terms/conditions. Even if the home is accurately priced, and the buyer is delighted with what he or she sees, if the buyer can't live with the terms of the sale, he or she may walk away. What sort of terms or conditions have you placed on the sale? Evaluate how this may be affecting a potential sale.

Less-than-desirable neighborhood. Normally, there's not much a homeowner can do about the surrounding neighborhood. But if your home is not selling and you've examined every other factor, this may be something to consider. For homeowners who can postpone selling and are aware that certain issues need to be addressed on the neighborhood level, now is the time to join or organize a town beautification group. By the time you're ready to sell, today's eyesores will have been eliminated.

Neda Dabestani-Ryba is a licensed Realtor in Maryland. She is a member of the President's Circle of Top Real Estate Professionals. She can be reached at (800) 536-3806 or visit her website for more information: http://neda.dabestani.pcragent.com/ Prudential Carruthers REALTORS is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Equal Housing Opportunity



RELATED LINKS

Accept Credit Card Payment Online

Accept credit card payment online and increase sales by 400% or more.... Find out how ...

 

Advanta Credit Cards

Apply for an Advanta credit card with 0% APR, rewards and cash back.

 

American Express Credit Card Application

Apply online for a new AMEX rewards credit card. See special offers.

 

Best Airline Miles Credit Card

Earn Frequent Airline Miles for Every Dollar Spent with No Annual Fee.

 

Best Cash Back Credit Card

Earn Up to 5% Cash Back on Every Day Purchases. Apply for Yours Today.

 

Best Reward Credit Card

Compare & Apply for the Best Reward Credit Cards with Up to 5% Cash Back Rewards and more.

 

Business Credit Card Online Application

Compare Business Credit Cards from All Major Banks. Apply Online Now

 

Chase Credit Card Application

Find Credit Card Applications from Chase & Apply Online in Seconds.

 

Citi Credit Card Application

Citibank offers credit cards that have 0% APR balance transfer options, Rewards, Cash Back, and much more

 

Credit Card Application For Bad Credit

Great card for bad credit just got better. 8.9% APR, instant decision.

 

Credit Card Balance Transfer Deal

Great Rates: Balance Transfers and Purchases. Capital One Credit Card

 

Debit Cards

Control Your Spending with a debit card. Guaranteed Approval.

 

Discover Credit Card Offer

Discover Credit Card Offers with 0% for 12 months, no fees & cash back.

 

Gas Credit Card Application

Save money at the gas pump with a new gas credit card. Apply now.

Fast Easy Payday Loan

Get the fast cash you need with an easy payday loan. Compare and apply

 

Hotel Rewards Credit Card

Earn Free Stays with a Hotel Rewards Credit Card. Apply Online Now.

 

HSBC Credit Card Application

Get 0% Intro APR, No Annual Fee, Great Service, Benefits. Apply Now.

 

Low Interest Credit Card List

Compare & Apply for Credit Cards w/ 0% Intro APR for Up to 15 Months

 

Master Card Application

Apply for MasterCard Credit Cards with 0% APR, Cash Back & No Fees.

 

No Annual Fee Credit Card

0% APR with No Annual Fee. Compare No Fee Credit Cards & Apply Online.

 

Online Car Loan Application

Loans and Refinancing for New and Used Cars. Online Approval.

 

Online Debt Consolidation Services

Consolidate your debts today - ease the strain of monthly bills.

 

Online Foreign Currency Trading

FOREX is a serious game. Play it with the pros. Start with just $50. The best trading platform available today. Start Trading and see why.

 

Online Mortgage Application

Apply online for a mortgage for your home. It's fast and easy. Great Rates!

 

Online Visa Credit Card Application

Compare & Apply for Visa Credit Cards with 0% APR and No Annual Fee.

 

Prepaid Credit Card

Get a Prepaid Credit Card with Free Direct Deposit. No Credit Check.

 

Shopping Reward Credit Card

Shopping Reward Credit Card. Fast Online Credit Card Application ... You have found the best shopping reward credit card site on the Internet!

 

Student Credit Card Application

Pay 0 Interest for 6 Months & Earn Rewards with a Student Credit Card.

 

Travel Rewards Credit Card

Compare Frequent Flyer Credit Cards Apply Now and Start Earning Miles.


MORE RESOURCES:

Real Estate Matters
Baltimore Sun, United States - 23 hours ago
By Ilyce Glink Despite the housing recession, there are still more than 1.5 million real estate agents in the United States. Competition is one thing good ...


Real estate firm gets into gas biz
Bizjournals.com, NC - 9 hours ago
Bunnell Hill Development, part of Lebanon-based real estate company Henkle Schueler and Associates Inc., has opened two Big Mike's Gas N' Go locations, ...
Radio roots run deep: Palec mixes music with real estate Bizjournals.com
Multifamily property sales break dry spell Bizjournals.com
Shell move to put choice land up for grabs Bizjournals.com
Bizjournals.com
all 376 news articles


Radio roots run deep: Palec mixes music with real estate
Bizjournals.com, NC - 17 hours ago
He's been one of metropolitan Milwaukee's most prominent commercial real estate brokers in recent years, handling some of the area's biggest deals including ...


Gazprom's real estate subsidiary to invest one bln euros in Morocco
Forbes, NY - 17 hours ago
TANGIER (Thomson Financial) - The real estate subsidiary of Russian gas giant Gazprom is to invest nearly one billion euros in northern Morocco, ...


New York Times

Lax Real Estate Decisions Hurt Starbucks
New York Times, United States - Jul 4, 2008
The company has long been known in the world of commercial real estate for its expertise at selecting prime locations and its fearlessness in establishing ...
Another major flaw in Starbucks (SBUX) management BloggingStocks
600 Starbucks to Close, Hope Anew for Fair Trade? Bay Area Indymedia
all 12 news articles


Johnson has magic touch for real estate
Chicago Tribune, United States - 6 hours ago
Canyon-Johnson, formed in 1998, has financed 31 real estate developments in 13 states, including Illinois, and Washington. It launched its third and biggest ...


Pinellas failed to learn real estate lessons of 1920s
Tampabay.com, FL - 4 hours ago
It's an outline of the 1920s Florida real estate boom and bust. But historical amnesiacs can be mistaken for assuming it describes the real estate roller ...


Real Estate Investors & Small Business Owners will get their ...
Emailwire - 5 hours ago
COM, July 05, 2008 ) Romulus, MI--Richard White, real estate, attorney, and noted author will be one of the members of the panel. Markwei Boye, accountant ...
Mark Maupin Announces New Location for National Real Estate ... Emailwire
all 3 news articles


World's most expensive luxury real estate markets
Times of India, India - 3 hours ago
The housing boom, which spread across many of the world's finest luxury destinations, is finally tailing off. Still, prices in London, Monaco, Manhattan, ...


Ri8ng on real estate
National Post, Canada - 6 hours ago
With a CD due this fall, and a full-time job designing luxury homes, Sergio Galli, guitarist for the '80s rock band Platinum Blonde, is a hard guy to pin ...

Real-Estate - Google News

home page | article index | site map
Credit  |  Currency Trading  |  Debt Consolidation  |  Debt Relief  |  Insurance  |  Investment  |  Leasing  |  Loans  |  Mortgage and Refinance  |  Personal Finance  |  Real Estate  |  Stocks and Mutual Funds  |  Taxes

 

© Copyright 2006 - SmarteCredit.Com. All rights reserved