We are currently trying to sell our house, it has been on the market for about 2 months.....?

Question

We have showings all the time but just no offers! We have recently lowered the price, we have painted, updated the house although its like new, cleaned carpets, we have really tried everything! Should we switch relators after the contract ends? Take it off the market? Any ideas????? Also is there anything such as moving the house itself? To where I can buy some land and put the house we are selling on that land? I love the house its just in a really bad area..... Thanks!

Answer 1

moving the entire house is unbelievably expensive...i doubt you'd be willing to accept that expense if after two months on the market your already anxious.

fact is the market is flattening out, and being that your house is in a bad area, it will be difficult to sell. high end homes are also difficult to unload right now. there are exceptions, and some areas are still selling well, but even those neighborhoods the homes have to be priced right.

our home is going on the market in two weeks.....so i hear ya.
good luck

Answer 2

Why are you selling it? If it's because you thought it would appreciate and it hasn't, a lot of other people are in the same boat right now. You're trying to sell at a bad time so the only way to sell it fast is to reduce the price or fix it up so it's a better deal for someone. Buying a house simply because you expect the price to go up is called speculating, and it's a poor primary reason to buy the place you will live in. Three years is not long in real-estate-owning terms. They generally say 10 years is a minimum to consider for real estate investments. If you don't have to move but only want to, just wait. The market will change.That's the downside of owning a house. When you want to sell, the market might not be what you'd like. Two months isn't long, either, for a house to be for sale. Be patient. If you get enough for it that you can pay off what you owe, get your down payment back and pay the realtor's commission, you did do better than renting. You got the equivalent of 3 years rent-free. If you have some other pressing reason to sell, such as you're taking jobs in another state, reduce the price and it will probably sell. Everything sells when the price is right.

Answer 3

The Realtor's job is to get people to come see the house. He's done that - AND during the hardest part of the year.

In San Antonio, in the last two weeks, the phones have started back up. Placing your house on the market just after Thanksgiving at a regular price (not a steal) is a waste of a month and a half. Now, the market is starting again, but you've already got an "old" listing. Agents pulling up listings may pass it by right now, thinking "It's been 2 months - if nobody's bought it yet, there's a reason - why waste my buyer's time with it?" And they show houses listed more recently. Drop the price even just a little, so it will show up in the MLS "Price Changed" list. (our MLS has that, I expect others do too)

Answer 4

The housing market has changed in the last two years. Market time has increased significantly. Most folks are sitting on the fence trying to decide if they should buy something or wait until the price is lower. It is why you're experiencing this type of market. Sounds like you've done the right things. Maybe you should invest in having an appraisal done to be sure that what the Realtor is telling you is a good price. In this market it may take awhile before your house sells. Two months is not enough time.

And no it doesn't make sense to move the house. If you like the design and layout, have a builder construct a new one for you.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

Let's answer the easy part first - yes, you could probably have the house moved, but it's pretty expensive.

Now the hard part: There are two things that sell a house - how the house shows and the price. Before either of these things can have an effect, you have to have exposure to the market. Since you've had showings, what feedback has your agent given? Your agent should always call every other agent who shows your property to get feedback. Secondly, what marketing has your agent done to expose your property? You should ask for a detailed report of marketing activities if you aren't already receiving one. Finally, how well has your agent communicated with you? If you feel that your agent has done a good job on all counts, then stick with him/her. Sometimes the market is just that way.

Typically, after 10 showings or 3 weeks, a price adjustment is normal. But if you have a sign that says "price reduced" get rid of it immediately! Studies in 2004 and 2005 showed that use of the "Price Reduced" sign put people on the defensive and makes people think, "So what's wrong with the place?"

When we run into situations like this we advise our clients to reposition the home in the market. Instead of trying to sell to typical home buyers, consider selling to investors or offering seller financing. There are other options than the traditional "FOR SALE" sign. Ask your agent and if they can't help, ask their broker. Assuming your agent is working hard for you, do what you can before firing them.

Answer 6

If it is in a bad area, then maybe that is why no offers. I have seen and heard of houses being moved, but depending on where you live, and the size of your house, it can be very expensive! Also, do you have clutter in your house? That can be a big turn off. Take care of any laundry, toys, etc laying around. Try baking some cookies or lighting candles before you show your house to make a good scent for the potential buyers to come home to. Try maybe looking into a "house stager" it is someone who will basically move the furniture around to make a house more appealing to buyers. Is your property tax high? That is something else that would turn people away. How does your landscaping look? If your yard is too plain, or looks like high maintenance, that might also make people think twice, curb appeal means alot. I would talk to some other reators and ask their opinions.

Answer 7

How is your landscape? Is your yard well-kept? Curb appeal is very important to the way a house "shows". If you're in a climate where you can do it this time of year, plant some pretty colorful flower, pull out any weeds, trim shrubs and put down some fresh mulch. Also, before you show your house, go through and take down any family pics, kitchen counter clutter, and things on the fridge. Light aromatic candles, turn on all the lights and open all the drapes or window blinds. If its cold weather, crank the heat up and if its a hot day turn the air on a very cold setting...make the "buyer"comfortable and they will know the ac/heat works well. And lastly, make sure the house it immaculately clean, all clutter stored away, all cabinets and closets tidy.

Answer 8

Have you considered taking some equity out of the place and converting it to a rental instead? Unless you absolutely have to cash out of the property 100%, you might make out better in the long run to take advantage of the equity to leverage against another home, and using this property as a rental write-off at least until the market is on the upswing. You continue to build equity in the house and someone else pays most or all of the mortgage for you.

Answer 9

Hmmm... tough question. I would suggest having your agent re-evaluate the price based on the past 6 months of sales of comparable properties first.

What is that agent doing to promote your property? How long has the agent been in the biz? Is that agent a full-time agent?

If you need a referral to another agent, let me know... I may be able to help!

Answer 10

Its a price issue, most of the time if you want to sell your home, yes its possible your realtor is not marketing your home well, i would suggest talking to them about that, and consider a price reduction.