Has your property been on the market for far too long? 

While it generally takes weeks to sell a home, there are times when it’s more challenging to drum up interest and get buyers to make an offer. Since it may be due to reasons you aren’t aware of, it’s important to take a step back and assess the situation. 

This guide will help you do just that—with insights into what stops a house from selling and how you can sell your home online, fast.

6 Reasons Why Your House Isn’t Selling and How You Can Address Them

Here’s a look into what stops a house from selling with solutions on how to increase its marketability:

1. Makes a Poor First Impression

What does the outside area of your house look like?

Even in real estate, first impressions matter. Fifty-four percent of homeowners say their neighborhood or street’s curb appeal influenced their decision to buy their home. So, if your home doesn’t have enough curb appeal, it could deter potential buyers from exploring the space further.

The Solution: Boost Curb Appeal

Ninety-two percent of realtors recommend that sellers improve curb appeal even before listing a home for sale. Doing so can raise your property’s value by up to 7%.

Maintain your landscaping. Paint your front door. Plant colorful flowers. Tidy up your lawn. Update the house number and its placement. This due diligence will grab more attention and increase marketability, leading to more showings and better sales.

2. The House Clearly Needs Repairs 

Is the plumbing in poor condition? Are there issues with ventilation? Perhaps the fittings and installations are worn out? 

If it’s obvious that the house doesn’t have good bones, prospective clients won’t give your listing a second look.

Buying real estate is an investment even if it’s financed through debt. The last thing buyers need is to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for costly repairs or maintenance. 

The Solution: Make Necessary Upgrades 

Most people don’t want to spend a lot on a house they’re selling, but some home improvement projects can boost ROI by as much as 69%! 

If your house isn’t selling, invest in budget-friendly upgrades. Replace outdated fixtures, repaint the exterior of your home, and install better lighting. These minor improvements make your home more appealing to buyers, which can lead to a faster sale and put more money in your pocket.

3. Your Photos Aren’t Attractive 

A survey of 2,200 respondents revealed that home buyers agreed to buy a property based on photos and videos. Thirty-three percent made the decision based on videos while 36% relied on photos. Surprisingly, it took them less than an hour to decide!

If you’re not able to sell your home, your presentation could be to blame. One hundred percent of people start their home-buying journey online so clear photos, good lighting, and angles that show off your residence’s best features are a must.

The Solution: Invest in Quality Photos 

Get off to a good start by staging the house and cleaning it. Turn off televisions, keep toilet lids down, tidy up bookshelves, and make sure it doesn’t look cramped or lived in. Keep interiors simple and attractive. Check for good lighting.

Once you’re ready to take photos, go easy on wide-angle lenses. They shouldn’t distort the room’s size or create unrealistic proportions. Finally, pay close attention to composition. Photos should show a fair amount of the ceilings and floors. 

If you want to ensure quality photographs, hire a professional photographer who specializes in real estate.

4. The Space Is Cluttered 

If you’re getting tons of people through the doors but not enough offers, you might want to take a look around. Is your house cluttered? Does it have too much of your personality? These could keep the buyer from envisioning the space as theirs.

Cluttered spaces are less attractive to buyers. They look smaller and indicate that there are storage issues or that the owner is trying to hide the extent of repair required. These details could lead to lowball offers or buyers walking away from the sale.

The Solution: Consider Staging the House 

On average, decluttering costs $486 and adds $2,584 to your home’s value. 

If you want to make a successful sale, take the less is more approach and do away with excessive items. Also, invest in staging to help visitors feel as if they could live there. It can cost 1% to 3% of your listing price but brings great benefits. 

According to the National Association of Realtors, 85% of staged homes sell for 5% to 23% more than their listing price.

5. Your Description Isn’t Compelling Enough

Does your property description give potential buyers access to technical information like the type and style of the home, its total square footage, the year it was built, and insights into utilities like HVAC systems? If it doesn’t, it could be why it hasn’t sold. 

The Solution: Tap Into Emotions 

Paint a pretty picture of the house using the art of storyselling. 

Start with an attention-grabbing headline, emphasize the location, focus on the strengths of your property to lock buyers in. Talk about the history of the area and the neighborhood. Inject your listing with personality to make it come alive. Also, provide an overall idea of the property by focusing on its key facts and features. 

6. The Price Is Too High

Homes that are more expensive and aren’t priced competitively based on the local market won’t sell. 

If you’ve set an unrealistic asking price, it could be discouraging potential buyers. 

The Solution: Follow Pricing Trends 

If you want to sell your home quickly, price your home right. Look at the market conditions, do a comparative market analysis, identify the estimated value of your home, and adjust your pricing accordingly.

If you price your home at $300,000, it will lump you in with the $300,000 to $349,000 group. Instead, list it as $299,000. This will put you in the same bracket as $250,000 to $299,000 while helping you reach more buyers. 

Why You Need To Start Using Digital Tools 

If you’re solely relying on showings, you’re limiting your audience and chances of selling.

Busy lifestyles and geographical barriers can discourage people from scheduling showings. 

The solution? Invest in technology.

With digital tools like virtual tours and renderings, you can give buyers access to your home whenever they want and from wherever they are. 

These types of materials offer immersive and realistic views of a home. They highlight the unique selling features and allow interested buyers to inspect every nook and cranny while getting a good feel of the space and layout. They can gauge its potential without setting foot inside! 

It’s no wonder that listings with 3D virtual tours sell for up to 9% higher and are bought 31% faster. It can also save you and the buyer a lot of time and effort.

For example, you won’t have to spend money on staging, expensive shoots, renovation, or open houses. On the other hand, the client won’t have to splurge on travel tickets.

Here’s another advantage: You can share these digital assets online, on your social media platforms, and link them to your website to reach a wider audience, increasing your chances of making a sale.

Go The Extra Mile With Plus Render 

Level up your real estate marketing and sell your home more effectively with Plus Render. We can highlight your home’s best features with realistic and immersive renders and virtual tours.

Create captivating content, reach a broader audience, and sell your house faster. Get started by booking a free call.