Why Isn’t My Southern NH House for Sale Selling?

Here are a few things you can do if you’ve listed your Southern NH home for sale and it just won’t sell.

What can you do to get buyers to look at your Southern NH home? 

• Take Good Photographs

Make sure when you list your house you have good quality photographs of the house you are selling for buyers to look at. If you only have one photo or if the photos are blurry they look careless and buyers will be less interested. Remove excess clutter from the pictures and make them look better. Clear off the kitchen counters, hide all the electric cords, close the toilet lids, turn on all the lights and open all the blinds. If you have a fireplace you can even light it for a warm feel.

The first impression a buyer makes will typically be based on the photos they see online. 80% of home buyers start their search online and it may deter them from even driving by. Hiring a professional may be necessary if the photos don’t look good.

•  Update Your Curb Appeal

Would you want to purchase a home if the yard looked like it hadn’t been maintained in years? Neither would anyone else! Give the exterior of your home a nice facelift by trimming the trees and bushes, mowing the lawn, and picking all the weeds. Adding some color with flowers and fresh mulch can also do a lot for the exterior appeal of your home.

You listed your Southern NH house for sale with the hopes that someone would fall in love with it just like you did, but it just won't sell! Try a fresh coat of paint to the front door or shutters. You may even want to power wash the home, put up a new mailbox or a some outdoor light fixtures. Take a look from the road and see if there is anything that looks dirty and clean it up, remove or replace it.  

• Get Rid of the Clutter

Buyers want to see a clean, open living space when they are searching for their new home. If there is visible clutter in the photos, or during a showing of your house they may be turned off and think you don’t have enough storage space for their family.

Don’t let them get mislead by this mornings mail. Pack all the extra stuff or throw away anything unnecessary and make your home look as big and inviting as possible.

• Depersonalize Your Home

Paint your walls a neutral color, rather than that bright color you love. Take down any family pictures or artwork that your children made you art class, as cute as it may be. Pack away any personal touches and put them up at your new house after you move.

If buyers can’t imagine themselves living in your home they won’t make an offer. Try your best to make the house you’re selling look like a model home.

• Remove ALL Evidence of Pets

Whether they’re allergic to them or they’ve had a bad experience in the past, some people don’t like animals!  Even though your pets are your babies and you love them, you need to hide remove all of their messes from your buyers.

Put their crates in a closet or hide them in a box in the garage or basement. Be sure to put toys, food and water bowls out of sight as well. Always be sure to remove all signs of pet fur or dander as that may turn people off from making an offer. Also, don’t forget to deodorize and get rid of any gross pet smells.

• Freshen Up Your Home

Smell is one of the first things a buyer will notice when they enter your house. Nobody likes to walk into a house and smell an animal, old trash, musty smells, or even smoke. Clean your home thoroughly to get rid of any unwanted smells before it kills your deal.

You can always light candles or place automatic air fresheners around your home, or bake some cookies or a pie, even essential oils have a nice inviting scent as long as it doesn’t seem to be covering another smell. Be sure to choose a subtle scent that can brighten up your living space!

• Renovate 

Not everyone will purchase a house that needs cosmetic updating. Many buyers won’t want the hassle of more work after an exhausting move. However, even small renovations can make a large enough impact on the way a buyer views your house to make them consider it. Fixing small repairs like leaky faucets, broken drawers and faulty lighting fixtures before a buyer sees it is worth the trouble.  

Install a smart thermostat, or a new ceiling fan or lights in your home. Get your carpets cleaned to remove any stains, and fix any holes in your walls, and give the house a fresh coat of paint. The kitchens and bathrooms are where most buyers will spend their time looking so make sure they are clean and organized. While replacing cabinets may be necessary other times repainting and adding new hardware could be enough to keep a buyer interested.

• Staging Works Wonders

Once you’ve depersonalized, renovated, and decluttered your house it’s time to stage like an expert! Most buyers want to look at simple but new things in a home they may be thinking of making their own. Minimal is always best, cut back on furniture and wall hangings to make the rooms appear larger.

Try placing a bowl of fresh fruit or a cookie jar with some delicious cookies on the counter in the kitchen, or a few books and reading glasses on an end table in the living room. Clean off the counters and put some new towels in the bathroom, as well as a candle or two. 

• Consider Your Price

If you’ve done everything listed above and your home still isn’t selling, it may be time to talk to your Real Estate agent about adjusting the price. This is where your agent's knowledge and business savvy will come in handy.

Many times this is the problem and a very obvious suggestion. If you overprice your house buyers might not even consider it. They will not feel you will be reasonable to work with even if you might be willing to work with their numbers. Sometimes all you need is a small reduction to make your buyer feel as if they are getting a great deal.

• Make Your House Available for Showings

Last but not least, if you make your house available for showings more buyers will be able to view your home. If you limit yourself to pre-scheduled viewings, your house won't sell as quickly as you’d like and some people may not even be able to look at it.

If you are flexible with the times when buyers can view your property, you will have a better chance of getting more viewings. More viewings means more potential buyers of your home and that is always a plus.

If you would like to sell your Southern NH home, or just get a market analysis on what your Southern NH house is worth call us today! There is no obligation to work with us and the Comparative Market Analysis is free of charge.