5 Things That Make It Difficult to Sell a House

Most likely, your house is the most-valuable asset that you own. That being the case, you obviously want to get top-dollar when you decide to put your house on the market. Selling your home can be a stressful and emotional time, so you want to do everything you can do to make the process run as smoothly as possible.

Toward that end, there are some things to watch out for when putting your house on the market. Each of the five points listed below could make it quite difficult to sell your home, depending on market conditions and other factors.


#1 – You Priced It Too High

This should be an obvious point, but it deserves a spot at the top of our list because it is such a costly mistake. While everyone knows that listing prices are negotiable in the world of home buying and selling, listing your house too high might cause prospective buyers to miss out on even seeing your house in the first place. For example, if a prospective buyer is looking to spend between $350,000 and $400,000, and you list your home for $405,000, that buyer might not even consider your property as an option. Be realistic and list your home for fair market value with the help of a real estate agent.

#2 – Poor Curb Appeal

First impressions matter, so make sure your home gets off to a great start with any prospective buyers. When someone drives up to your home for the first time, what are they going to notice? If they are met with messy landscaping and other exterior issues, they will instantly have a negative association with the home. Make sure your house looks good from the street with tidy landscaping and a clean entrance.

#3 – Clutter, Clutter, Clutter

Before buying a home, shoppers are certainly going to want to walk through the house to get a good understanding of its layout, condition, size, etc. However, if your house is so full of stuff that prospective buyers can barely walk through safely, they are going to have a hard time making a decision. Clean up before you put your house on the market, and store your excess stuff elsewhere if necessary.

#4 – Invisible Online

Nearly all prospective buyers are going to start their home-buying process online these days, so make sure your house has a presence on the web when it goes up for sale. Sure, you can put a sign out in the yard, but that sign isn’t going to attract nearly as many people as a professional listing with quality pictures and a clear description.

#5 – A Major Problem

No home is perfect, and if you have been living in a home for a number of years it is sure to have a couple of issues here and there. That is fine, and it won’t stop most people from making an offer if they like the house otherwise. However, if there is a big problem with the house, you might run into trouble. Some examples of big problems that can impede a sale would include a leaky roof or an unstable foundation. You don’t need to fix everything about your house before it goes for sale, but make sure you address any major issues that are going to turn off most buyers.

Mistakes Sellers Often Make When Selling Their Home

A recent survey by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that Eighty-three percent of people view their home as a good financial investment.  Not only is their home the biggest single asset most people own, but it’s also filled with memories — the average seller has lived in his house for a decade, according to the NAR. So it’s no wonder that when it comes time to sell property, people can get a little emotional.

Yet if people actually want to get a return on their investment in their home, they need to be smart about how they approach selling it. Letting emotions, not logic, drive decisions means you’re more likely to make mistakes that can make it difficult to find a buyer or force you into accepting a lower offer than you would like.

The good news for sellers is that the market is tight. That’s pushing home prices higher across the country, and the number of homes being sold is also up. The typical seller receives 97% of his final asking price, and his home was on the market for about a month, says the NAR.

But those numbers don’t mean that every homeowner sells his property quickly or gets the price he wants. You can increase your chances of a successful real estate transaction if you avoid these five mistakes when listing your home.

1. Not being realistic about your home’s value

What you think your home is worth and the price you can actually sell it for are often two very different numbers. “Nobody cares what you paid for it,” one frustrated home seller told the Wall Street Journal. He’d bought a home for $325,000 and spent another $150,000 on renovations, but the property eventually sold for $83,000 less than he originally paid for it.

Even in markets where inventory is tight, sellers need to be careful not to get too greedy when picking a listing price. Properties that are overpriced at the outset tend to eventually sell at a lower price than they would have if they’d been appropriately priced in the first place. Choose a reasonable price based on factors like how much comparable properties are selling for and the home’s appraised value. If you’re not getting any interest, adjust your strategy.  No offers within a 30-45 day period can mean the price is too high.

2. Not making your home look its best

You probably have seen enough home improvement shows by not   to know that good staging and curb appeal help to sell homes. At a minimum, homeowners should conduct a thorough cleaning, haul out clutter, make sure the home is well-lit and fix any major aesthetic issues. More elaborate staging, such as repainting with neutral colors, sprucing up landscaping, or purchasing new furniture can also help. Overall, professionally staged homes can sell five to seven times faster than non-staged homes, according to the Real Estate Staging Association.

3. Refusing to negotiate

You should start by setting a fair and reasonable price for your home, but you also need to build in some wiggle room, especially if you need to sell quickly. Many buyers will start with an offer well below your asking price, particularly if they think it’s a buyer’s market. Naturally, their goal is to pay as little as possible for the home they want. Plus, many people want to feel like they’ve snagged a deal on what may be the biggest purchase of their lives.

You can make your buyers happy while also getting the price you need by being willing to accept slightly less than asking price for your home. Alternatively, you might agree to concessions like paying the closing costs, throwing in appliances, or making certain repairs to the property in order to sweeten the deal. Working with an experienced agent can help you negotiate the tricky dance of getting the price you want without scaring off a buyer.

4. Hiding the Truth About Your Home

Sellers who want to be rid of their property quickly may be tempted to try to hide problems with the home from prospective buyers. But trying to cover up serious flaws, like foundation problems, leaky roofs, or mold, could come back to haunt you later. If you aren’t up front about your home’s issues, the buyer may well discover them during the home inspection. At that point, they’ll probably either back out of the deal or ask you to cover the costs of fixing the problem. If the issues are serious and are discovered after the sale goes through, you could end up caught in a messy, protracted legal battle.

You should always be upfront with both your listing agent and your buyer about potential issues with the home. Price your home appropriately given its condition and document the problems you’re aware of and have your buyer sign off on them. Full disclosure is the best way to avoid a lawsuit.

5.  Having A Back Up Plan

In a perfect world, you’re able to smoothly navigate the transition between selling your current home and buying a new one. In reality, things rarely go as planned. Savvy sellers have contingency plans in place to avoid either getting stuck with two mortgages at once or not having a place to live, or to protect them if a deal falls through.

Some people insert clauses into their contracts that make it clear that they won’t move forward with the sale unless they are able to purchase a new home. You may also want to be prepared to find temporary housing, like a rental or staying with family, in case your home sells quickly. If you must move before your home sells, make sure you’ve budgeted to afford the carrying costs of the old home. Finally, if there are multiple people interested in your home, you may be able to accept backup offers, which involve agreeing to sell to a second buyer if the first one backs out.