7 reasons why your home isn’t selling – and how to action it

Have you noticed your home is languishing on the property market for longer than you’d like?

From excessive noise to having no garden, experts from regulated property buyers, GoodMove have revealed 7 common reasons why your home isn’t selling, plus easy ways to resolve them. Get ready to sell!

The house is near a busy or high-speed road
While you can’t change where your home is located, there are a few things you can do to prevent some of the noises that come from living near a busy road. Invest in double or even triple-glazed windows to help block out the noise, or incorporate tall foliage or fences to your garden to block the sight and sound of cars – just be wary of blocking out too much light. In the garden, try adding water features to mask the noise, or if possible, you can lower the level of your garden to reduce any unwanted sound from the road.

The house doesn’t have a garden
If your house doesn’t have a garden and this is a deal breaker for a potential buyer, there’s sadly not an awful lot you can do. However, you can work to make whatever outdoor space you have as desirable as can be. Try adding as much greenery as you can to the outdoor space, through plants, flowerpots, herbs, and small trees which will help give the impression of a garden. If you have a patio, you could even add fake grass to the space. Sometimes it’s not about the garden, but more about showing your property comes with the potential to spend time outdoors.

The house has signs of damp
Damp can be a huge cause for concern for a potential buyer. The trick is to tackle it early and take steps to prevent it as if it’s left unattended it can really be damaging to your home and put buyers off. Make sure your home is well heated and ventilated and use a fan or dehumidifier to tackle condensation or excess steam from showers. Anti-mould paint will also help protect your walls from mould, but make sure you’re combating the problem and not just masking it with paint.

There are noisy neighbours
Neighbours are a huge consideration with potential buyers, and nobody wants to be caught off guard by noisy neighbours after moving into their new home, which is why many potential buyers ask about the neighbours during property viewings. Dealing with noisy neighbours is always going to be awkward, but the best way to go about fixing it is to politely address the issue in person. If a polite conversation doesn’t work, you could try polite notes, keeping a record of the noise disruption, and finally once you’ve exhausted all polite options, speak to the local authorities for advice.

Parking at the property is a problem
Not having a designated parking space can be a huge problem for potential buyers. Again, you can’t do anything about a parking space if you don’t have one, but it’s a good idea to address this issue with potential buyers and leave information for them that explains where the nearest parking facilities are, public transport links, how much it costs, or what you currently do for parking at present.

A high asking price
It’s crucial to make sure that you value your home correctly before putting it on the market. Overvaluing your property will really put buyers off. For example, if the asking price doesn’t reflect the value of the home then buyers won’t want to put in an offer, and the longer your property stays on the market, the wearier prospective buyers will be. It’s always a good idea to make sure your property is fairly valued.

The house smells
Nobody wants to buy a house that smells! They say the smell of freshly baked bread or a hearty meal are some of the secrets to selling houses, but if you’ve no time to cook before a viewing, then install a few air fresheners or scented reed diffusers and make sure your house is well ventilated. Damp is one of the main things potential buyers will be able to detect through the smell of your house, thanks to its distinctive musty smell, so make sure you treat any problem areas too. Try to keep pet smells at bay or cigarette odours outside as well.

After you’ve made these changes, if you find your property languishing on the market for more than two months without activity, it might be time to make some further adjustments. There are some ways you can make it more attractive to potential buyers, including:

Upping the curb appeal – weed, mow the lawn, and add garden furniture
Creating a blank canvas – declutter, neutral colours, and remove personal items
Fix any minor issues – tend to cracked walls, dirty walls, or worn carpet

Commenting on the research, Nima Ghasri, Director at GoodMove says: “Although this past year has been a stellar one for the property market, there are many people who are struggling to sell their home. There are many common reasons why your home might not be selling, and although there are things that you cannot change such as a lack of garden or being near a busy road, there are things you can do to help rectify these issues and make your home have the ultimate buyer appeal!”