Has your ‘for sale’ sign been on your front lawn much longer than you had anticipated?

If you haven’t had any interest from buyers, you’re probably looking for someone to blame. But while we’re often quick to shame others, sometimes the fault rests squarely on our shoulders.

In fact, if walls could talk, yours may be saying, “It’s not me, it’s you!” According to industry experts, here are common reasons your house isn’t selling.

1. You’re asking too much

If you’re ever struggling to sell your home, the first thing you need to consider is whether it’s priced correctly. What are comparable houses in your local area selling for, and what was the average time those houses were listed before sale? A common mistake for many first time buyers or renovators is overcapitalisation. Just because you invested a large amount of cash improving the house isn’t a guarantee that it’s also increased the value of the property to an equal or greater amount.

Related: Sell, take your money and run

2. You’ve chosen the wrong agent

Before signing on the dotted line with the first agent you meet, consider their track record. Speak with a few different agents to gauge their thoughts on your property and how likely it is to shift in the current climate. Sometimes paying a slightly higher fee for a more experienced agent can deliver you a quicker sale at a better price. Of course sometimes it may not be the agent’s fault; don’t be quick to lay blame.

Related: 20 tips for increasing your home value

3. The location isn’t right

There’s not much you can do about this problem. If the location isn’t right, then you can pretty up your home as much as you like and it still won’t shift. What you need to do is sell the dream. Find an agent who can take your perceived negative and turn it into a positive. Is the house too far out of town for some buyers? Then say it’s a slice of tranquillity that would appeal to someone looking for seclusion.

4. Your home isn’t well presented

Consider your target market. If your house looks more like it may blow over in a strong breeze, or your interior decorating skills are best described as ‘Las Vegas kitsch’, you may need to do a little work before the house can sell. Not everyone has the same taste as you. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make your house more presentable, sometimes just removing the excess clutter is enough.

Related: Spring cleaning tips for selling your house

5. You’re being inflexible

If your agent has called to say they have someone who’d like to see the house in 20 minutes, would you say yes? If the timing isn’t convenient for you, or you haven’t kept the house in a suitable state for viewing, you could be missing out on a sale. Being flexible and allowing the agent to take buyers through with little notice could be the difference between selling and having the home on the market even longer.

Before laying blame on others, take stock of your home and look for ways that you can maximise its potential. After all, all you need is that one person to say ‘yes’.

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Source: Yahoo7 Money Hound