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Answers (18)
- real estate mike
- Contributions:2001
Put a sign out front that says "beautiful inside". Have your agent repull comps and see what just sold. Custom length drapes are material and someone who knows how to sow(I know what's that). Make sure your flyers have those pics and lots of people get them. Have a block party and show this place off!! Be unconventional, let kids sell lemonade out front on the weekends(same time as open house) and free lemonade to all who enter! It's heavily a buyers market and you gotta pull all the stops.
- Mary Fasnacht, "Mary Fasnacht"
- Contributions:6
I'm hoping your showings and the interest in your lovely home have picked up.
Now that the summer season is upon us, you might want to replace your outside photos of both your home and your development with new photos showing the lush greenery of the warm weather. Add some pots of colorful flowers to the front porch of your home and some in the back as well.
Good luck!
Now that the summer season is upon us, you might want to replace your outside photos of both your home and your development with new photos showing the lush greenery of the warm weather. Add some pots of colorful flowers to the front porch of your home and some in the back as well.
Good luck!
- Linda Strasberg, "L Strasberg"
- Contributions:2316
Is your home the only one that has not sold in this price range since you listed it?
- Connie Wildasinn, "Connie Wildasin"
- Contributions:1178
welcome to being over priced! you need to get agressive on the marketing and pricing and if you intend to move make it happen... this is a classic case... back in the day when pricing was trending up. you could overprice your property and the market would 'catch up' not anymore...
Good luck...
Good luck...
- Don Reser, "Don Reser"
- Contributions:7
I agree that in general there are two issues that you have control over that effect showings. First, the price and second, the staging and marketing of the home. A major third factor is the market, but you cannot control it, so you have to ride with it. I would focus on marketing and staging first. It can yield a difference of up to 10% of the price, as well as, a reduction in time.
Don Reser
- Alen Moshkovich, "AlenMosh"
- Contributions:83
It's pretty obvious why the showings have stopped.
You get highest # of interest in the first 3 weeks of putting a property on the market. That's when all serious buyers come out to look. They seen everything else and want to know what just came on.
You said that after that period it died off completely. Two things I'm thinking of right away. Your house isn't as nice as competing homes, maybe it's cluttered, maybe it's outdated and older?
If those reasons don't apply to you than the ONLY other factor I can think of is that you are over priced.
They seen it, they know the price is too high and they moved on.
One advice to you and I'm not sure how much your house is on the market for and how much things are selling for in your area. But avoid small insignificant reductions at all costs. They are useless.
Example your house is $500,000 and you reduce it by $10,000 to $20,000. That says nothing to a seller. Months go by and you have to reduce again.
So......when reducing, reduce a large chunk that will SCREAM to everyone, hey I adjusted my price, it's now priced accordingly, come and have a look again.
I wish you luck.
~Alen
You get highest # of interest in the first 3 weeks of putting a property on the market. That's when all serious buyers come out to look. They seen everything else and want to know what just came on.
You said that after that period it died off completely. Two things I'm thinking of right away. Your house isn't as nice as competing homes, maybe it's cluttered, maybe it's outdated and older?
If those reasons don't apply to you than the ONLY other factor I can think of is that you are over priced.
They seen it, they know the price is too high and they moved on.
One advice to you and I'm not sure how much your house is on the market for and how much things are selling for in your area. But avoid small insignificant reductions at all costs. They are useless.
Example your house is $500,000 and you reduce it by $10,000 to $20,000. That says nothing to a seller. Months go by and you have to reduce again.
So......when reducing, reduce a large chunk that will SCREAM to everyone, hey I adjusted my price, it's now priced accordingly, come and have a look again.
I wish you luck.
~Alen
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
The other corner shot was nice, but I liked the fireplace shot the best of the two. Your house looks great and I know buyers will appreciate your nice decor too. Good luck with your agent open house. Your husband is right, you are just getting into selling season so hang in there. My fingers are crossed for a good offer and a speedy escrow for you.
- bigdogdad
- Contributions:12
thanks all-what about the alternate shot of that room that doesnt have the fireplace in it? i was trying to not have to do custom length drapes ($$) if i didn't have to in that room. the tapestry above the window-if you see it in real life it draws your eye up to the awsomely high ceilling in that room with large crown moulding. will remove the sconces if necessary but will have to relocate them because we have alot of storms here (tornado alley) and they are functional for us at night sometimes for a couple of hours. the new construction- most do not have 3 car garages in our price range. they have sprinkler systems like we do but they dont have the established landscaping, or the hot tub :) i think our neighborhood is beter than theirs right now-we are closer to town and have lighted walking sidewalks, lakes and waterfalls/gazebos. thanks again for your advice. the real estate agent will be providing lunch for the agents when they come, and the mortgage broker she works with will be providing a door prize.my husband keeps reminding me we are just coming into the 'selling season" and to hang in there. thanks again. will let you all know what happens after the agent open house. will take your advice on the rug / coffee table post. thanks again.
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
Your house looks great. I do like that angle much better, but you don't want people to think that you have been on the market since Christmas. You might consider a retake of that same angle with the fireplace. Do you think it would be possible to reshoot that same photo with no tree and to reshoot the kitchen photo? You have a very nice kitchen and I think you need to show off the granite and pretty cabinets on a clearer photo. It is pretty easy to upload new one to the MLS and might be worth it before your agent open house. The agent bonus is a great idea and I think it will make a difference in the amount of exposure that you get from agents. I know it sounds like a ploy, but agents LOVE cookies so feed them when they come. They can take couple on a small snack size napkin, munch a little. That sometimes makes them remember the house better take a little more time looking through the too. Sounds cheesy, but when we did our agent open house every single agent save two commented to me doing yard work in the front about the cookies and many came back with clients the following week. They are not expensive and make a house seem homey and inviting. If you bake great, if not order 2-4 dozen of a couple different kinds form a local bakery or from Costco.
- Michele Rose, "Michele Rose"
- Contributions:52
Hello again! I've had the chance to take a look at the other photos. I prefer the front view that is a little darker and crisper with the white sky behind it-- it's the first one in the first listing. I always think it's better to use a front view photo that shows the front door. I also prefer the view of the living room in that listing (don't use any Christmas photos-- they draw attention to how long it's been on the market). I agree with Sunnyview about the changes in the living room. The curtains definitely need to hang higher so that the room isn't cut. I would also remove the picture above the window and the candle sconces on the columns. Buyers generally don't like area rugs on top of carpeting so I'd consider removing the area rug and using a coffee table (or something that can function as a coffee table) instead to draw the room together.
Competing with new construction is tough. If your prices are the same, they still have the advantage because they're "new" and a clean slate. In this case, the best advantage you have is to compete with "charm." A new, vacant house can seem cold and lacking in coziness. Your house has to be better at making people feel at home. You also have to make sure your house is impeccably clean because the new construction, although cold, will also seem sterile. If your home is priced higher, no matter what you do, you'll have a tough time competing. Are there things your house offers that the new construction does not? Not just upgrades, but extra rooms, a sunroom, a better yard, a better situated house? Try to think of things that are not easy updates, but would require extensive renovations. That may help in your marketing. You have a beautiful home-- price it competitively for the best advantage.
Competing with new construction is tough. If your prices are the same, they still have the advantage because they're "new" and a clean slate. In this case, the best advantage you have is to compete with "charm." A new, vacant house can seem cold and lacking in coziness. Your house has to be better at making people feel at home. You also have to make sure your house is impeccably clean because the new construction, although cold, will also seem sterile. If your home is priced higher, no matter what you do, you'll have a tough time competing. Are there things your house offers that the new construction does not? Not just upgrades, but extra rooms, a sunroom, a better yard, a better situated house? Try to think of things that are not easy updates, but would require extensive renovations. That may help in your marketing. You have a beautiful home-- price it competitively for the best advantage.
- bigdogdad
- Contributions:12
thanks sunnyview. i am trying to be an informed seller. i will ask my agent those questions. btw did you check out the pics i added after you loooked-which do you think are better? (front of house and that living room?) we are having an agent open house in 2 weeks and have this week added a buyers agent bonus for a contract by april 30- our agent will highlight that at the open house to the agents in the area. a gift card to the buyer is a great idea though, i wouldnt have thought of that -thanks. still trying to figure out how to compete with all that new construction....we recently updated the paint.
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
Makes sense to me. It is great that you know your neighborhood so well. i think that really helps. People have been slower to buy in the last bit of time, more cautious, but they are buying. I think that with spring coming that reminding them about how nice your house is would help sell it. Many folks look at a house and then the memory of it fades as they look at more. Maybe your agent could contact the buyers agents that did show initial interest and see if they would like to come through again or if there is something you could do to make the house look sweeter to those buyer. Sometimes it doesn't take very much to do that. Even a gift card or a small amount in closing costs will sometimes prompt people to buy if they like the house to begin with. Do you know what the average sales time is in your area? Is 65 days in the average? If so, your listing might just need a little more time. It is a beautiful house and I am sure that a family would love it if they have a chance to look around a bit and compare it to others that are not as nice.
- bigdogdad
- Contributions:12
All--Thank you all for your imput. i think our biggest problem is the builders in this area have kept building like hotcakes and are now selling new construction for far less than most of us with existing homes can afford to do. how do you compete with that? there is an over abundance of new construction homes on the market in this town and they just keep on building....
- bigdogdad
- Contributions:12
sunnyview and michele rose,
continued... we have house listed under 2 listings on Zillow because i wanted to add some pics and a better discription. eventually will consolidate when we figure out wich pics are better. I just added some different views of that living room. could you input wich one you like better everyone? i was trying to avoid special order length on those drapes.... also, which pick of the front of the house do you like better if you dont mind.
continued... we have house listed under 2 listings on Zillow because i wanted to add some pics and a better discription. eventually will consolidate when we figure out wich pics are better. I just added some different views of that living room. could you input wich one you like better everyone? i was trying to avoid special order length on those drapes.... also, which pick of the front of the house do you like better if you dont mind.
- bigdogdad
- Contributions:12
sunnyview and michele rose,
thanks for replying. the house that sold in nov is like apples and oranges to ours. they had one living area. we have a great room, formal living and a bonus room over garage. they had a 2 car garage in basement, so they cant convert it with out losing a garage. we have a 3 car garage. we have granite kitchen, they didnt. we have other upgrades and are including all appliances and our hot tub. they didnt. we also are offering a warrantee. they didnt.
thanks for replying. the house that sold in nov is like apples and oranges to ours. they had one living area. we have a great room, formal living and a bonus room over garage. they had a 2 car garage in basement, so they cant convert it with out losing a garage. we have a 3 car garage. we have granite kitchen, they didnt. we have other upgrades and are including all appliances and our hot tub. they didnt. we also are offering a warrantee. they didnt.
- sunnyview
- Contributions:25139
Ok I am not in your area either, but I can give you my nonprofessional opinion. I think that your market ay be slowing down, but that the decrease has not been reflected in current sales yet. Your house in the top 95% of house prices in your zip code 37043. You house is not overpriced, but it may need to be lower to attract interest. Check out this house here that sold in November. It is larger by about 200 sq ft and has an extra be and bath. I think it sold for 368K. That is about where you are priced now. The good news is that your house is beautiful and shows very well. I only saw one thing that I would change. You have a nice living room with the couch, but I would take the curtain rod down or raise it up above the top of the window with two longer curtain panels it to give that room more vertical space. People often don't like the support posts in that type of room so you can de-accentuate them by not drawing a line with the curtain rod visually across those two supports. raise their eyes up as they step past the supporting posts and they will ignore them. It sounds small, but it gives the room a more open friendly feeling. I would look at your price again and be realistic in terms of what the market is doing even if the change in your market is largely silent at this point. I would consider he curtain change, put some fresh flowers in a pretty glazed pot by the door and then get ready to sell.
- Michele Rose, "Michele Rose"
- Contributions:52
Hello, I took a look at your listing and I don't think it's the pictures that are turning people away. The only picture I saw that didn't look so great is the living room-- it seems a little awkward. A consultation with a professional home stager might be beneficial and a good investment.
A home usually has its most showings when it first comes on the market and yours only had 4 in the first 3 weeks, which is not a lot. Your agent seems to be doing her job-- your listing and all its information are easily accessible, she has a website link for your home, open houses are being done, etc.
The number one reason you're not getting showings is always the price. Are you listed at the price your agent recommended? What is your competition? What is your current market like? Don't just look at what is currently listed, look at what has SOLD. After 65 days, I'm surprised your agent hasn't been after you to lower your price!
The right price will get you more showings-- professional home staging will help bring in offers. Good luck to you! Let us know how it goes!
A home usually has its most showings when it first comes on the market and yours only had 4 in the first 3 weeks, which is not a lot. Your agent seems to be doing her job-- your listing and all its information are easily accessible, she has a website link for your home, open houses are being done, etc.
The number one reason you're not getting showings is always the price. Are you listed at the price your agent recommended? What is your competition? What is your current market like? Don't just look at what is currently listed, look at what has SOLD. After 65 days, I'm surprised your agent hasn't been after you to lower your price!
The right price will get you more showings-- professional home staging will help bring in offers. Good luck to you! Let us know how it goes!
- Paul Kelly, "MtgFinancial Planner"
- Contributions:22
I could not answer your question directly. I am not servicing your market. However, here are a couple of reasons why showings may have stopped:
1. Sales price is too high.
This will always be the biggest factor in attracting buyers. If you went to the sears, and saw a tv for $500, and then saw the same tv for $400 at best buy - where would you buy it? Hey, maybe your home has all sorts of upgrades, and that's why you should charge more. Most buyers will say to themselves: WHy should I pay more? I could just buy a less expensive home, and do the upgrades I want.
2. Not the right marketing.
there are so many ways to market a home. Unfortunetely most agents focus on the description of the home. Most buyers tune out those details. What is the buyer more interested in? What are their payments and if they can afford it. To see an example of what I provide to the realtors I work with and their home sellers please click on this link: http://mortgagecoach.utipu.com/app/invited/id/8d6c9f50001a45fcb3697a4da1b2283e
3. Not the right Agent. Well, at the end it could just be your agent. Perhaps they have too many things going on. Perhaps not seasoned enough. Perhaps too seasoned.
1. Sales price is too high.
This will always be the biggest factor in attracting buyers. If you went to the sears, and saw a tv for $500, and then saw the same tv for $400 at best buy - where would you buy it? Hey, maybe your home has all sorts of upgrades, and that's why you should charge more. Most buyers will say to themselves: WHy should I pay more? I could just buy a less expensive home, and do the upgrades I want.
2. Not the right marketing.
there are so many ways to market a home. Unfortunetely most agents focus on the description of the home. Most buyers tune out those details. What is the buyer more interested in? What are their payments and if they can afford it. To see an example of what I provide to the realtors I work with and their home sellers please click on this link: http://mortgagecoach.utipu.com/app/invited/id/8d6c9f50001a45fcb3697a4da1b2283e
3. Not the right Agent. Well, at the end it could just be your agent. Perhaps they have too many things going on. Perhaps not seasoned enough. Perhaps too seasoned.
why have our showings stopped?
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