Congratulations! You’ve finally decided to sell your Seattle home. As your realtor hammers in the wooden “For Sale” sign into your front lawn, you might start to wonder how long it’s going to take to sell. 

In addition to finicky buyers and a downturned market, there are many things that could cause your home to sit for weeks or months without getting a single reasonable offer. Here’s a list of five things that can prevent a home from selling in Seattle: 

Unrealistic Pricing Expectations

For many people, their home is their pride and joy. They’ve spent money, time, and effort into making it what it is. While every homeowner wants to get the most money they can for their house, they shouldn’t let emotions and sentimental value get in the way of selling their home.

If buyers think a home is overpriced, it can result in a flood of lowball offers that might offend the seller. Keep in mind that at its very core, selling and buying a home is a business transaction. The buyer wants to feel like they’re getting as much of a fair deal as the seller.

The best way to price your home is to listen to the advice of your realtor. Take advantage of their experience and wealth of knowledge of the local market when it comes time to price your home. You’ll have a much better chance of selling it this way.

Animal Smells

Have you ever purchased an air freshener for your home and after a few weeks you couldn’t smell it anymore? It’s not because it stopped working, you’ve just grown accustomed to it. The same can be said for your pets. 

Animal smells are one of the more common reasons a house will sit on the market for longer periods of time. Both dogs and cats have their own unique odors that tend to linger inside a home. 

Many non-animal owners can instantly walk into a house and tell if the owner has pets. This can be a turn-off for many buyers as it makes the house seem dirty and dingy. If you have animals, consider getting your carpets, drapes, and even upholstery professionally cleaned before you put the home up for sale. 

Depersonalize and Declutter

Buying a home is a very personal experience. It’s where someone will live for many years to come. As such, when a potential home buyer walks into a house, they’re already mentally picturing themselves living there. 

Unique personal décor touches and pictures of the family can make it hard for prospective buyers to imagine what life would be like if they were to buy the home. It psychologically feels like someone else’s home.

This is why it’s so essential to depersonalize and declutter your house when it’s up for sale. Take a weekend to box up family photos or other interior décor items. Move the boxes to the garage, or better yet rent a storage unit for a month. 

Once your home looks like a proverbial blank slate, prospective buyers can now imagine the possibilities that the empty house holds.

Curb Appeal

There is nothing more unattractive to a potential buyer than pulling up to an open house that has multiple cracks in the driveway, a weed-choked lawn, and the roof looking like it’s one mild breeze from blowing away.

Curb appeal is what sells a home. Yes, having your driveway repaved and adding a new roof can cost a lot of money, but it can also make you a lot of money as well. 

There’s an old saying amongst realtors: The exterior of a house sells the interior, and the interior sells the home.

Make Repairs

A home that needs major repairs can give any buyer cold feet. Leaky pipes, a questionable foundation, or even a broken water heater can cause someone to wonder what other hidden damages the house has.  

While you can price your home a little lower to compensate for the cost of the needed repairs, it can potentially turn away many homeowners who are looking for a move-in ready home. By having your home inspected and repairs are taken care of before you list, you’ll stand a better chance of getting in a reasonable offer.

Seattle Realtor 

If you have any questions about selling your home or would like some advice on the best way to go about doing it, give me a call at (206) 953-8311. As a top Seattle realtor, I have helped countless Seattle homeowners list and sell their homes. Give me a call today to learn more about how I can help you.