Why Your Home Is Not Selling

By Emily Southey | 12 minute read

If your house has been on the market for a while with limited interest, then it might be time to re-evaluate. Identifying the issue(s) and fixing them is crucial to helping your home sell. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the most common reasons homes don’t sell, as well as a few tips on what you can do to make your home more attractive to buyers. By the end of this article, you’ll know why and what to do about your house that won’t sell. 

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Common Reasons Houses Don’t Sell

Unfortunately, there is a wide range of reasons that houses don’t sell. Therefore, it’s up to you to determine which circumstances apply to you. Is your house old and in need of repairs? Is it located on a busy street or near an airport? Is your REALTOR® phoning it in and not devoting the necessary attention to your property? Whatever the reason, doing something about it is imperative if you wish to sell your home. Keep reading to discover some of the most common reasons houses don’t sell and see which ones resonate with you.

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1. The asking price is too high

The top reason a home isn’t selling is that the asking price is too high. As you might suspect, buyers pay attention to the price. Even in a seller’s market, buyers can sniff out a home that’s priced too high. The reality is that the higher the price of your home, the smaller the pool of potential buyers. Plus, if your home is priced higher than others in the area without any clear indication as to why, buyers and their REALTORS® will likely pass it over. Ultimately, with any major purchase, buyers want to know they’re getting the best deal possible. If they feel they’re being cheated, they won’t even bother setting up a showing. If you aren’t sure whether your home is priced too high, consider the following: Are other homes in your neighbourhood selling quickly? Are you getting many requests for showings? Is your listing price above that of other comparable homes in the area? If your home is priced higher than other similar homes in the area, if you are getting very few showing requests, and if other homes are selling fast making you the outlier, then your asking price is likely too high. 

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2. The home needs many repairs

A home in poor condition is likely to scare off buyers. So if your home is a major fixer-upper with lots of necessary repairs, this could be the reason it isn’t selling. Obvious signs that a home is in poor condition include water stains, dry rot, cracks in the foundation, uneven flooring, and missing roof shingles. For minor repairs, most REALTORS® will recommend handling them yourself before listing your home. But for major ones, you may wish to conduct a pre-listing home inspection. You may also need to pivot your marketing strategy in the hopes of targeting buyers who are up to the task of repairing and renovating the home. 

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3. Your home is unconventional

Unique properties with quirky design features are typically harder to sell as they aren’t to everyone’s taste. If your home is the definition of unconventional, especially if it’s on the more expensive end of the scale, this could be the reason it isn’t selling. Ultimately, unconventional homes almost always take longer to sell, so sellers should prepare to be patient throughout the process. Eventually, with the right marketing, a buyer will come along who finds the unconventional charming and whose style matches yours. And if not, REALTORS® can do their best to stage the home in a way that makes it appealing to a wider range of buyers.

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4. Your home lacks curb appeal

Curb appeal matters. A buyer’s first impression of your home is what they see when they pull into your driveway. If you failed to tidy up and elevate your home’s exterior, this could be driving buyers away. For example, an overgrown, unmowed lawn, dirty windows, chipped paint on the front door, and dead plants and flowers are all major turnoffs that instantly undercut your mission. Luckily, boosting curb appeal isn’t very difficult or expensive. Over the course of an afternoon, you can have the outside of your home looking better than ever before. A few key steps you can take to boost curb appeal include mowing your lawn, storing the bikes and cars in the garage, giving the front door a fresh coat of paint, cleaning the windows, trimming the bushes, removing any dead plants or weeds, sweeping the front stoop, and arranging some brightly coloured, fresh flowers in an urn or window box by the front door. It’s that simple!

5. Your listing photos are low quality

You know that old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words?” Turns out it’s true — especially when it comes to real estate. Any REALTOR® will tell you that professional listing photos are crucial to selling your home. So if the current listing for your home features low-quality photos taken with a smartphone, this could be the reason your property isn’t selling. Photos should always show the property in its best light. The lighter and brighter they are, the better. Most REALTORS® will hire a professional photographer to photograph the home once it has been cleaned and staged.  

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6. Your marketing strategy is weak

Marketing a home is crucial to selling it successfully. If you’re working with a REALTOR®, they will typically be in charge of marketing. Marketing is not as simple as listing your home on MLS®. Instead, your REALTOR®’s strategy should be multi-faceted, involving social media, online classifieds, classified ads in local newspapers, e-blasts, postcards and mailers sent to people in the neighbourhood, open houses, and more. If your REALTOR® isn’t marketing your property the way it should be — aiming to attract the widest pool of buyers possible — then this could be the reason your home isn’t selling, and it could also be an indication that it’s time to find a new REALTOR®. 

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7. You’re too pushy

Buyers don’t respond well to a seller who’s too pushy. If you seem desperate to make the sale, this could discourage buyers from putting in an offer. Or if they do decide to put in an offer, sensing that you’re desperate, their offer may be below asking or include many contingencies. For this reason, most REALTORS® recommend that sellers are not present during open houses and showings. 

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8. Your home isn’t staged or is staged poorly

The purpose of open houses and showings is to allow potential buyers to get a feel for your home. You want buyers to be able to envision themselves living in your home. This is hard to do if your home is full of clutter and personal items. If you failed to declutter and depersonalize your home before opening it up to potential buyers, this could be the reason it isn’t selling. Homes full of clutter not only prevent buyers from visualizing themselves in the space, but they may also appear smaller, further deterring a buyer from putting in an offer. A well-staged home that is clean, tidy, and features neutral and contemporary decor has a much better chance of selling. If your home has yet to be staged or was staged poorly, then it might be time to stage it.

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9. The housing market isn’t right

The real estate market ebbs and flows, which means another possible reason your home isn’t selling is due to the market. Perhaps you just missed the market’s peak or you listed your home at an off-peak time of year, such as the fall or winter. Watching the market closely is critical to selling your home. Listing your home at the wrong time could be the difference between your property being nabbed in weeks and your property sitting on the market for months. If you think a cooling housing market might be to blame, re-evaluate your asking price and marketing strategy. Keep up to date with other home sales in your area for comparison. If you aren’t in a rush to sell, your REALTOR® may recommend pulling your home off the market and listing it in the spring or summer when it picks up again.

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10. The location is undesirable 

An undesirable location is another reason homes don’t sell. An undesirable location can mean a lot of things. For example, homes on busy streets with lots of traffic, along major highways, near train tracks or airports, beside liquor or cannabis stores, or in a part of town with a higher crime rate may all be turnoffs to buyers. If your home is in an undesirable location, you may need to drop your listing price to reflect this. You and your REALTOR® should also focus on putting your best foot forward, which means staging, professional photographs, video tours, and lots of marketing.

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11. The home has a strong odour

Strong or foul odours can turn away even the most motivated of buyers. You always want your home to pass “the smell test,” which means that when a buyer walks through the front door, there is no strong or obvious smell that wafts into their nose. Some of the most common odours that might repel buyers include the stench of cigarettes, pets, and food. It can be difficult for sellers to be aware of smells since they live in the home, so we recommend asking a few unbiased friends or neighbours to visit your home and tell you if they notice any lingering odours. If they do, it’s time to remove these odours as soon as possible. 

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12. You chose the wrong REALTOR®

The second to last reason your home won’t sell is because of your REALTOR®. If your REALTOR® isn’t pulling their weight or dedicating the necessary time to selling your home, they could be responsible for a lack of interest in your home. Luckily, though REALTORS® require exclusivity, they typically allow sellers to cancel contracts if it isn’t working out. If your REALTOR® isn’t living up to their end of the bargain — perhaps they take days to respond to your calls or emails, they only work part time, or they have too many clients to be able to meet your needs — it’s time to consider finding a new REALTOR®. A good REALTOR® should devote ample time and resources to selling your home. They should be responsive and guide you through the entire process, from staging and marketing your home to relaying news of offers and negotiating on your behalf. 

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13. You aren’t flexible

Sellers should prepare to be somewhat flexible if they want to sell their homes. What we mean by this is having a flexible schedule to allow for as many showings as possible, being open when it comes to conditional offers, and being receptive to the possibility of offers below asking. For example, buyers often include conditions relating to home inspections or repairs. Sellers should expect this and think carefully before turning down an offer just because a buyer added a contingency. 

What to Do When Your House Won’t Sell

If your home won’t sell, do your best to identify the problem by reviewing the reasons above and then following the tips below. 

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Price it at market value

If a too-high asking price is the main reason your home won’t sell, the solution is to lower the price. If your listing price was too high to begin with, then it was probably above market value. Sellers should always aim to price their homes as close to market value as possible to attract buyers. Work with your REALTOR® and do some research into the market value of your home. Use that as a marker and plan to drop your listing price to market value or even just below it.

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Listen to buyer feedback

Buyer feedback can be extremely valuable when trying to determine why your home isn’t selling. When you host open houses and showings, ask the buyers and their REALTORS® for feedback on the property. Find out their likes and dislikes by asking questions like “What would need to change to make you buy this home?” or “Were you disappointed by the home’s quality compared to the price?” If they ultimately decide not to make an offer, find out why. If you’re getting the same feedback, time after time, this is a clear indication of what should be fixed if you hope to sell your home.

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Take better photos

If dimly lit, poor-quality photos are your problem, then try taking better photos. Hire a professional photographer to photograph your home in its entirety. Photographs should be taken at wide angles in well-lit areas, making the house appear as large, light, and bright as possible. Aim to capture the entire house, not just the kitchen or master bedroom. It’s easy for a buyer to assume the house is smaller than it actually is if the photos only show half the rooms. In addition to photos of the interior (with an emphasis on the kitchen as buyers love kitchens), don’t forget to take photos of the backyard and front yard, highlighting key features, such as in-ground pools or nicely manicured gardens. 

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Drop the price

Curb appeal matters. A buyer’s first impression of your home is what they see when they pull into your driveway. If you failed to tidy up and elevate your home’s exterior, this could be driving buyers away. For example, an overgrown, unmowed lawn, dirty windows, chipped paint on the front door, and dead plants and flowers are all major turnoffs that instantly undercut your mission. Luckily, boosting curb appeal isn’t very difficult or expensive. Over the course of an afternoon, you can have the outside of your home looking better than ever before. A few key steps you can take to boost curb appeal include mowing your lawn, storing the bikes and cars in the garage, giving the front door a fresh coat of paint, cleaning the windows, trimming the bushes, removing any dead plants or weeds, sweeping the front stoop, and arranging some brightly coloured, fresh flowers in an urn or window box by the front door. It’s that simple!

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Schedule a pre-listing home inspection

If your home is in a state of disrepair and you aren’t willing to pay to renovate it, then the best course of action is to schedule a pre-listing home inspection. This can help you identify the key problems, allowing you to address them yourself. Should you choose not to, a pre-listing home inspection can still work to your advantage by providing buyers with peace of mind and laying out clearly the work that needs to be done.