Why isn’t my house selling?

1. Living near a busy road
2. Smells
3. No garden
4. Less-than-ideal parking
5. Cracks
6. Damp
7. Noisy neighbours
8. Asking price
9. Bad advertising photos
10. Selling at the wrong time

Selling your house can be difficult and can take anything up to 6 months depending on several factors. If you’re currently trying to sell your house and finding that you’re not having positive feedback after viewings, there could be some things that you can change in the house to help increase your chance of getting a sale.
We’ve compiled a list of the top ten reasons potential buyers were put off buying a property so you can see which might be causing you problems with selling your house.

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1. Living near a busy road

The noise of a main road can be off-putting for any buyer if they think that the noise will be disruptive within the house. There are a few things that you can do to combat this, though. If you haven’t already, investing in double or even triple-glazed windows can work wonders in keeping noise out of the house. You can also look at adding some fencing or tall foliage at the front of the house to not only block out some of the noise but to give some privacy as well.

2. Smells

If you have any sort of damp or musty smell in your house it can be incredibly off-putting for potential buyers. If you’re a smoker or have pets, this can also leave smells that you want to try and cover before you have any viewings. Using air fresheners or lighting candles is a great way to banish smells- or if you want to go one step further you can put a couple of drops of vanilla extract in the oven on low for half an hour before the viewing to give a fresh, sweet scent to your house.

3. No garden

There’s not much you can do about this one, but you can dress up the areas that you do have to let potential buyers see that you can utilise the space without needing a garden. If you have a paved area or a balcony, for example, you can add stylish plant pots to brighten it up. You can also put a table and chairs out there to make it more welcoming for viewers and show potential buyers that it’s an area that they can use.

4. Less-than-ideal parking

If you don’t have a driveway or private parking, it isn’t the end of the world. If your property has parallel parking in front, be honest and tell your potential buyers how often you get a space out the front of your house. If you know of better parking that’s close by, tell them that. Giving them all the information will be beneficial and mean they might be more interested in the property if they know there’s more parking than they originally thought.

5. Cracks

Usually, cracks on the walls of a property aren’t a major concern, but they can be a cause for concern and often put viewers off. If your house has cracks on any walls, you should get them checked by a professional just in case. You may be able to fill and cover them, but if not it’s good to be able to tell the viewers that the cracks have been assessed and are nothing to be worried about.

6. Damp

Damp can cause a huge amount of damage if it isn’t dealt with, so keeping on top of it as soon as you see it is imperative. Cleaning away any mould, keeping the house warm and ventilated and limiting potential condensation are the best ways to combat mould, keeping your house safe and dry.

7. Noisy neighbours

If you’re having problems with disruptive neighbours, the best thing to do is to deal with it head-on. Be polite but upfront, speak to them and try to resolve issues civilly. The last thing you want to do is cause a problem where things could have been cleared up easily. If for whatever reason you’re not able to resolve things, you can keep a log of all disruptions and take it to the neighbour’s landlord or the local authority to handle.

8. Asking price

Setting the perfect asking price for your house is really important. If you set your price too low, potential buyers might think that there’s something wrong with your house and that’s why the price is so low, which often will mean they won’t bother even viewing. If it’s too high, buyers will lose interest and not want to waste time looking at the property if they consider it over-priced. Get your house valued by a few different agents and get an average price to set as your asking price.

 9. Bad advertising photos

The advertising is one of the most important parts of selling your house as it is what will get people through the door to view. Your estate agent will usually take the photos for your advertising, but make sure before they do you’ve had a clean and made the house look as best it can. Keeping it tidy during viewings will reflect well and allow potential buyers to see their own belongings in the house rather than focussing on yours.

10. Selling at the wrong time

If you’re trying to sell during a housing slump, you will probably find you’re struggling to sell, but so are other homeowners. Selling in a boom is ideal but will depend on why you’re selling your house. You can’t always wait until it’s a good time to sell, so these other tips should help if this last one isn’t flexible for you.

Implementing these changes can make the world of difference when selling your house, but if you’re still struggling after doing these, you can get in contact with us at We Buy Any House and get a free offer on your property to see how we can help you sell your house quickly and easily.

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