If your home just came off the market and hasn’t sold, don’t be discouraged. The reason it didn’t sell may not have anything to do with your house. Your home may have been one of the most desirable properties for sale. If your listing has expired and you still want to sell, please take a moment to review your status.

Selling your home can be very inconvenient, but commit to doing whatever it takes to sell your home next time. With the right agent and your cooperation, your home will sell.

Why didn’t your house sell? Honestly assess your ad history. Your home probably didn’t sell for one of the four most common reasons:

1. Availability – Is it easy to show your house? Your home should be easily accessible, if you don’t have a safe, consider installing one. Be flexible and allow for showing hours that are convenient for buyers and their agents. Don’t follow the buyer and their agent around the house; go for a walk, or at least go outside. The showing agent receives compensation only after they sell their house; is motivated to receive payment. Buyers need the freedom to voice objections and only then can your agent resolve the issues raised. Allow the buyer and their agent the “freedom” to talk about your home, without worrying about hurting their feelings.

2. Make a good first impression – Make the Buyer fall in love with your home. Typically, a buyer’s decision to buy a home is based on emotion, not logic. A house in move-in condition invites a sale. Consider: Repair all obvious defects that a buyer will discover during their first ten to fifteen minute visit. Keep it clean for all presentations, tidy up, light up (open the curtains, turn on the lights). Enhance curb appeal. Most buyers decide in 2 minutes whether or not they like a house. Talk to your agent about taking care of other repairs and improvements, like paint, flooring, etc. Because a buyer sees only their inflated idea of ​​the cost of the improvement, offering potential buyers an allowance isn’t always as desirable as having the job done. A house that makes a good first impression sells for the best price because it outshines the competition.

3. Price – The right price depends on current market conditions, competition, location, and the condition of your home. If your home doesn’t compare favorably with others in the same price range, buyers and their agents won’t seriously consider your home. Ask your real estate agent to provide you with a current market analysis (a summary of comparable homes: recently sold, for sale, for escrow, and expired).

4. Marketing – The first step in your marketing plan is to find an agent who best represents you. When interviewing agents, ask each to demonstrate how they marketed other similar homes and discuss a specific marketing plan tailored to their home. Compare, too, how much money does each spend on marketing? Ask them how they advertise (newspaper, internet, call pickup hotline, etc.). Your listing agent not only needs to spend money, but also needs to spend it effectively. Not all agents are “created equal”. To sell your home for the best price in any market, you need an agent who uses an innovative marketing approach. Eliminate any real estate agent that uses traditional methods to sell your house because they don’t work in today’s market!

THE BUYERS ARE THERE…AND WITH THE RIGHT AGENT, THEY WILL COME BIG. Before you put your home back on the market, remember:

1. Honest communication is vital between you and your agent.

2. Price your home according to market conditions, competition, and the condition of your home.

3. Make sure your house is in perfect condition; Some agents offer assistance in preparing your home for sale.

4. Have an innovative marketing plan firmly in place.