5 Reasons Why Your House May Not be Selling

The frustration of patiently waiting for your house to sell is something many people experience, and we are no stranger to this scenario at Satchells.

Often we speak with sellers who are struggling to get views with their current estate agent, or the viewings are simply not converting into genuine offers.

However, there are many, relatively simple, steps you can make to transform your home, resulting in a plethora of interested buyers.

1. Your Home is Cluttered and Personalised

Buyers want to view a blank canvas on which they can inject their personality. Therefore, depersonalising your home is integral to spark your viewer’s interest. When a house is filled with your belongings, buyers may not see past this and will struggle to envisage their family living in the property.

The first step to getting offers on your home is to declutter thoroughly. During this process, ensure you also get rid of any excess furniture, which will allow viewers to see the full potential of every room and give them the illusion of bigger spaces.

2. Your Property Has Poor Kerb Appeal

First impressions count. This may be a cliché, but it’s true.

Even before they inquire about a formal viewing, most potential buyers will pass by your property to scope out the area and get their first view of the house. If the property does not look impeccable from the initial sighting, they will be reluctant to book a viewing.

However, some simple steps can transform the kerb appeal of your home.

Gardens are imperative:

• Mow the lawn and trim the hedges
• Remove any empty plant pots
• Ensure the paving is free of weeds

With regards to the façade:

• Clean the windows
• Polish the letterbox
• Leave your home sparkling!

This will set the right tone from the off. If you want to take it one step further, repaint your front door, welcoming buyers into your home.

3. Your Property is in Poor Condition

Before placing your home on the market, you should ensure all essential maintenance work has been carried out. Buyers want a home that has been loved and looked after.

With this in mind, consider replacing, or simply deep cleaning flooring that is stained or damaged. Repaint walls that are marked or chipped, ensuring your home looks aesthetically pleasing.

These are all perfectly valid reasons why your property may not be selling and are pretty easy to fix.

But there are two far more significant reasons why your home may not be selling!

4. Your Property Has Been Incorrectly Valued

Pricing your property too high is a trap many sellers fall into. For example, we recently brought a property to the market that had previously been for sale for several months with other agents before the Satchells Fine & Country brand took it on.

Within four weeks, we had found a buyer! And the reason it hadn’t sold previously?

The property had previously been wildly overvalued - by around 100k.

Some estate agents will give high valuations as a tactic to secure your working relationship. However, an asking price above the local average will not result in a high selling price, it will merely deter interest in your home.

Be sure not to take the word of the first, or highest valuation you receive. It is always recommended to have at least three valuations of your property, generally taking the average of those. Compare your asking price to others in the area that have recently sold.

Often it takes courage by an estate agent to give you an honest valuation and even advice that you may not want to hear! Particularly when your property has been over-valued by another agent. 

Satchells will always give you an honest valuation. It’s something we pride ourselves on.

5. You are only Reaching a Narrow Market

Consider whether you are actually reaching enough genuine buyers.
If your estate agent is not reaching a broad market and is limiting the marketing of your property to the local area, then you are at a disadvantage. More than ever, people are willing to relocate, as how we all work these days has drastically shifted.

For example, London homeowners are currently selling up and migrating to more rural areas – but how can you reach them if your agent is only targeting the local market?

Not reaching the right buyers will limit viewings making your property harder to sell, but Satchells have the means to reach London buyers through our Fine & Country brand.

We have a genuine London office, fully staffed by competent negotiators who will work hard to match a buyer to your property.

Email admin@satchells.co.uk to see how we can help you reach more buyers and sell your home in 2021.