The most obvious reason is “the market”.  Thanks to a media-driven frenzy in recent years sellers began to believe that all homes sell quickly.  Not only was that not completely true then, it’s not at all true now that the frenzy is over.

The next reason homes don’t sell (and your agent will be quick to point out) is price.  Gone are the days when you could price high and then negotiate.  Today’s buyers are not even looking at overpriced homes.  Well-priced homes attract buyers who make reasonable offers.

Unfortunately, in this market, price is a moving target.  A list price that seems reasonable today may put a seller on the high end in thirty or sixty days if the market shifts.  Then the seller is “chasing the market” as he tries to play catch-up with prices in the area.

There are a lot of creative variations on price.  Sellers may offer to pay the buyer’s closing costs, association fees, or buy down the mortgage rate.  In most cases a straight price reduction is a better strategy because the lower price may put the home in a range that has a broader appeal to prospective buyers.

No matter how the home is priced, sellers need to prepare to negotiate.  Buyers have read that they can get homes by making low offers.  Sellers shouldn’t be offended at a low contract but should counter the offer and continue to counter as long as it takes to reach an agreement.

Probably one of the most difficult problems to solve for a home not selling is the home itself.  Unfortunately, not all home problems can be fixed.  The family room that is too small by today’s standards and the backyard that overlooks the highway are negative features that can’t be fixed.  However, a buyer will be more inclined to live with the negative features when the benefit of the right price outweighs the negative. 

The next thing to do is make sure the home is available to be seen.  Whether or not you are using a Realtor to sell the home, make sure the home is available seven days a week.  Putting restrictions on showings that make it difficult to accommodate a buyer’s schedule means that some buyers will not see the home at all.

However, there are plenty of little things a seller can do that will not only make the home sell faster, but sell for a better price.  It’s called “staging”.

Think of a model home.  It’s open and uncluttered, light and airy, clean and neat.  But even the oldest home can duplicate that feeling.  Here is a checklist to follow:

1) Make any necessary repairs, even small ones.  Little things like a cracked wall outlet or big ones like an air handler than no longer works properly need to be addressed. 

2) Clean like Martha Stewart is expected for dinner.  Every nook and cranny needs to sparkle.  No dust bunnies, no stains, no dirty windows, no scuff marks on the walls.  If the paint if dingy, or even a very taste-specific color, you might consider fresh paint in a neutral lighter color.

3) There is no second chance to make a first impression.  So look outside and address how the home appears.  Enhance tired landscaping or cut back overgrown plants.  Add color if necessary with some seasonal annuals.  Make sure the lawn is treated for weeds and fertilized on a regular schedule.

4) Now the one everyone hates – pack it up or throw it out.  The longer you’ve lived in the home the more “stuff” needs to go.  If you can’t bear to part with it, store in at a friend’s home or rent a storage unit.  Clean out the closets, the pantry, the garage, cabinets, vanities, drawers, etc.  “Empty” looks bigger than “full”.

5) Now clean it off.  Remove most of the wall art you own and repair any holes.  Put away most of what is sitting on counters and tables and shelves throughout the home.  Be especially good about removing photos of family members.  Your buyer will be better able to project themselves in the home if they don’t see other faces looking back.

A true professional stager will do all this and more.  Their talents include rearranging furniture and using props and accessories to highlight features of the home the typical seller will overlook.  It may involve putting furniture into storage or making physical changes to the home but the end result is a home that will have the greatest appeal.

You may have read these things or your agent will have told you many of them and maybe added a few, like adding scented candles or potpourri to freshen rooms.  Turn on lights and open blinds when expecting a showing so that the home looks more inviting.

As a final thought, decide what your home’s best feature is and make sure you have staged the home in a way that will make that clear to your buyers.  Then they will fall in love with the home just as you did.