Why is My House Not Selling?

Selling your house is rarely straightforward, even when you think you’ve done everything right. Unfortunately, when it takes much longer than you hoped, things can quickly spiral and become problematic. You might even have plans being put on hold due to your lack of progress, which causes untold issues for you and your family. So, if you’re at the point of your house selling journey where you’re pulling your hair out and looking for answers, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’ll discuss some of the reasons your house might not be selling, what you can do to turn things around, and the best estate agent to help you sell your property.

Things to Consider When Trying to Sell a House

There are a number of points to consider when you are looking to sell your property. It is important to consider each of these to give your house the best chance of selling.

The Time of Year

Make sure you take into consideration the time of year when you want to sell your house. Different seasons require different approaches to selling, and having an experienced estate agents to assist you can be extremely beneficial. Whilst it can be more challenging to sell your house at certain times of year, keep in mind that properties sell throughout the year. There are always people who are willing to buy, regardless of the time of year. Still, if you are selling your property with an estate agents which doesn’t consider the time of year and the implications on the selling process, you should think about looking elsewhere. Here at Chancellors, we have a network of 58 branches with over 135,000 registered buyers. We understand the different seasons, and how to adjust tactics depending on the season to attract buyers.

Your Asking Price

We get it. Your house is your home, your castle, and you think it’s worth a bit more than it actually is. It’s common for homeowners to think this way, especially if you’ve spent money doing work to the property at some point in your tenure. Your estate agent might also be a culprit for overvaluing your house which is a lose/lose situation for the both of you. To understand how much your house is worth, look at your local area and see what similar properties have gone for recently. Of course, seek the advice of a local estate agent who knows the area well and understands what’s required to sell, too.

Is Your House Staged Well?

Staging your home properly is crucial if you want to achieve a quicker sale, and you need to make sure that every single viewing counts and that you make the very best first impression possible. From ensuring each room has a purpose to highlighting key features, cleaning, and more, check out our guide for staging your home for some inspiration.

Are You Putting People Off?

This one might be hard to swallow, but have you considered that you might be the issue? Specifically, we’re talking about viewings and whether you have the right etiquette for showing your house to potential buyers. You might be guilty of following them around each room, not giving them space, or over-explaining and making them feel a little uncomfortable. You might also have restrictions and not let them see certain rooms, which again, can put them off. Open houses are much more popular with buyers and it’s usually a better idea to let them walk around a house alone. Couples can then speak comfortably to each other about what they want from the space and decide on the property rather than the vibe you’re giving off, even if you have the best intentions.

Is Your Estate Agent Doing a Good Job?

This one is a massive problem, and it is one of the most common reasons for a house not selling. There are lots of reasons for an underperforming estate agent, so it’s important to choose wisely. For example, if you just go for an agent that’s close in proximity to the home, which seems like a reasonable idea, you could find that they’re not as motivated to sell it as you’d like, especially during a busy period. This will be evident if you don’t receive many updates from your agent, if you never see your property being advertised, and of course, if interest in viewings is suspiciously low. Here at Chancellors, we pride ourselves on delivering a service that goes beyond and above your expectations. To find out more about selling your home professionally, get in touch with the experts at Chancellors. You may also wish to read our article on finding the best estate agent to sell your property.

Do You Have Good Quality Photos of Your Property?

Marketing is absolutely massive in the property game so you must get photos that show your property in the best light. Professional, high-resolution imagery from a professional photographer is the only option here, and while these should be provided by your estate agent, it’s best to vet any images and ask for retakes if you aren’t satisfied. However, be careful and don’t give the wrong impression about your home. Having photos that make it look better than it is can be just as detrimental as photos that make it look worse, as either way, you’re pulling the wool over buyers’ eyes and not being honest.

Is the Local Property Market Performing Poorly?

We’ve mentioned doing your research on similar homes in your town, and what prices they fetched, but what’s happening in the here and now? If your area is seeing a downturn in interest, for whatever reason, then your sale process could suffer, and you could be left waiting. This, again, is where a high-quality estate agent is worth their weight in gold. They should understand the local market and help you achieve a sale within an acceptable timeframe, or at least set your expectations when it comes to your valuation and timings.

Have You Considered Kerb Appeal?

First impressions matter, especially when you’re trying to sell somebody a house. That’s why it’s of paramount importance to make sure the kerb appeal of your property is as high as possible. This means clean windows, a quality paint job, and a front garden that is at the very least, neat and tidy. Missing any of these aspects will give buyers a bad taste in their mouths before they’ve even stepped foot into your property, which, in turn, leads to them not wanting to make an offer. Our article on how to improve kerb appeal provides a host of tips to get your property to look more appealing from the outside.

The Area of Your Home Might Be an Issue

Your location is crucial to the sale of your property, for obvious reasons. As well as general aspects like crime and local amenities, each buyer will want something specific from a home like proximity to a suitable school, access to local shops, and various other considerations. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do about your location except set your expectations that little bit lower if you aren’t receiving much interest or many viewings in your home.

Five things to Do if Your House is Not Selling

Prepare Your House Properly

Failure to prepare is preparing to fail, as the old saying goes, so do your best to put your house in tip-top shape before you think about any viewings. This means making sure there are no glaring issues within the home, taking care of quick fixes to spruce things up, and making sure everything is clean, tidy, and feels as welcoming as possible.

Figure Out What's Worth Fixing

We’ve mentioned fixing up your home to achieve a sale, but how do you know what’s worth fixing and what isn’t? \Weighing up the cost of any major repairs and whether they’re worth sorting can be complex, to say the least, and it’s difficult to know what’s worth fixing and what isn’t. It’s a balancing act, to be honest, which is why we’ve written a handy guide about what not to fix when selling a house.

Reconsider Your Asking Price

It might sting a little, but if you’re not receiving any interest in your home after weeks or months of trying, it might be time to bring your asking price down. It’s important to be realistic about what your house is worth based on the feedback or lack of interest you’ve received, but be sure to speak to your estate agent about lowering your price and only go as low as you can afford.

Consider Auctions

Auctions can offer a way of selling your house more quickly than the traditional routes, but they bring with them their own set of potential drawbacks. From reduced asking prices to uncertainty around your buyer, they can be stressful but also, a lifeline if you can’t sell your home with traditional methods. Find out more in our article on how to sell your house at auction.

Switch Your Estate Agent

This is the answer to most people’s house-selling woes. If your house isn’t selling and you’ve done all you can, the blame probably lies with your estate agent. If they aren’t doing their job effectively and giving your house the time and effort that it requires, it’s time to switch things up and go with somebody more trusted.

Can You Buy a New House if You Haven’t Sold Yours?

Yes, you can make an offer on a new house before selling your old one, but you need to ensure that sellers take your offer seriously. Keep in mind that some sellers might anticipate you've already accepted an offer on your current home before making a new one. If they discover otherwise, they might worry about potential delays in the transaction chain. Our article on buying a house before selling yours provides all the information you need around this topic.

Remove the Stress and Sell Your House With Chancellors

Selling your house is one of the trickiest tasks you can undertake, especially with rising living costs and inflation increasing regularly. However, when you choose a trusted expert like Chancellors, you increase your chances of selling your property thanks to a team with a vast knowledge of the housing industry in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Surrey, London, Herefordshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire, and Mid Wales. With transparency, honesty, and clarity at the heart of our service, find one of our specialists at a Chancellors branch near you. For more information around this topic, you may wish to read our article on common mistakes made when selling a house.