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some of it may just be that not many people are even shopping for house. if you really want to sell, drop the price to your rock bottom. if the other houses that are pending are ten years newer that could be the reason. some people prefer as new as possible.
im pretty much at the bottom.. i could go another 5k.. but i dont know that that will be a huge difference and i know people are just going to want it for less. nobody pays asking, do they?
i am seeing now that nothing is selling in my area.. i had this house almost sold in feb, and that was 269,900 and i got an and the people were here a couple times. then another house came on the market, higher than mine and bigger.. so they went for that one... those people were lucky. they didnt even have their house on but a few days... here i am going on 2 yrs..
I have learned, over the years in this business, not everything makes a whole lot of sense. There are houses that I would think would sit forever, and they get scooped up and others that I think will sell quickly sit for a very long time. I have also learned that sometimes, when a house has been reduced markedly, sometimes people think something is wrong with it, when that is not the case. I am also a believer in "creative" marketing and brainstorming. I have brought other agents to one of my houses, especially an agent I trust implicitly and will ask them what their impression is of the property..is there something I could do differently; I have done the same for other agents.
I have, as I am sure your agent has done, and certainly many other agents who are participating on this site, "looked at" and have considered other markets for a property, i.e., is your house near a hospital, if so, write to that hospital, medical staff office for example, and find out if new physicians are joining their staff, perhaps that's one venue...same with schools, new teachers? Perhaps if your house is near a university, the university could consider purchasing it and renting it to new professors, or visiting professors, etc.
A friend of mine has a beautiful home on a lake; close to a ski resort. It is also on a major road which to some, is a convenience, to others, is a drawback. Because this area is so tourist-oriented (ski resort and lakes region) the house has been marketed more as a 'second home'/investment property whereas, for me personally, I picture it much more as a permanent primary home. But that's just me. One of the issues with this house, apparently, has been the basement. This is an older lake home and the original house was built around rocks, serious rocks -- and almost 3/4 of the basement has massive rocks/mini-boulders in it which clearly do not acommodate a "family room". So, you can't get rid of these rocks and boulders so the question how do you deal with it...I pictured incredible train tracks around the boulders as there is some room to put tracks around the back side of the boulders; I can visualize these sophisticated train tracks all around the boulders; I can visualize towns and villages and trees, etc., being glued to the rocks and there can be the most incredible toy train system in what would have been a basically useless basement albeit the furnace and hot water tank.
My point is to look at the merits of the property; look at what could possibly be construed as the downside to the property and draw attention to it with something unique.
I also believe that the right person will come along and will love and appreciate the house.
It is a tough tough market to sell in now and I really feel for you!!!
However, here's a suggestion for a buyer friendlier look for your house. It looks to me like it did when it was built - well preserved- with very little having changed on the exterior. Consequently, it looks sort of dated (in a 70s-80s way) and not very personalized, except for the donkey and cart, which you really need to remove and put into storage because it's a tad kitschy or a lot kitschy- sorry.
What about a nice porch portico (some sort of overhang) over the front door? Some nice black wrought iron railings and painting the front door a bright color (like magenta) would do wonders. Your bushes are also small and you have no flowers. You need to draw the buyer inside by making the exterior look landscaped and updated....
oh thankyou soo much for that nice reply.. i dont live to close to a hospital but about 1/2 hour away. i have heard that idea.
i do live next to a lake, and the properties there are being purchased by people from NYC>> second homes..
i am 5 min up the road. i posted an add in craigslist and i featured the lake.. and we have a beautiful state park next to our property and we are surrounded by state property where no homes will ever be built. my neighbor, actually on a dirt road a bit up from us... his property is a horse pasture. so in the back wooded area, there are beautiful horses.. i really don t get why the house is still on the market.
except that its a raised ranch like i have said before. and then the other thing, like you mentioned is that people think there is something wrong with it. i have had nothing but good feedback on my showings but for some reason they move on.. the last couple that looked loved it and wanted to come back for a second look, but..... they said my taxes were very high that scared them.. but they were printed way higher than actual.. but again i never heard from them. my realtor said she emailed them the right figures.
i just heard a marketing plan to list the house about 20k higher and then offer the pay the first year of mortage.. so live rent free for a year. but i would have to raise the price to do it...
also this selling agent bonus i am considering, but the only reason for that is because i dont think people want to look at a raised ranch.. this might get them to get people in here to see..
i know a lady, looked and looked at homes.. never would she look at a raised ranch and at the end of her rope.. her realtor suggested a raised ranch. and she ended up loving the house and buying it.
i had a guy here, he said he never would have looked at it and was actually considering it.. he loved it.. but again he never came back. its just so sad that i have a life waiting for me that i cant get to..
It is a tough tough market to sell in now and I really feel for you!!!
However, here's a suggestion for a buyer friendlier look for your house. It looks to me like it did when it was built - well preserved- with very little having changed on the exterior. Consequently, it looks sort of dated (in a 70s-80s way) and not very personalized, except for the donkey and cart, which you really need to remove and put into storage because it's a tad kitschy or a lot kitschy- sorry.
What about a nice porch portico (some sort of overhang) over the front door? Some nice black wrought iron railings and painting the front door a bright color (like magenta) would do wonders. Your bushes are also small and you have no flowers. You need to draw the buyer inside by making the exterior look landscaped and updated....
the donkey is tired.. but.. behind him is our well pump.. so we need to hide that.. we all have the pumps but not pretty.
i would love to do some more outside.. i did plant flowers.. you cant see them from the far pic but all in the front.. bright pink petunias. i am going to get some more flowers for the front.. i am very tight on the funds.... that seems to be the problem. if i had more money to spend... i would.. with all this rain, the flowers i did plant.. they are very sad..
thanx so much. love the advice.. im a hgtv girl.
ohh and the other thing i really wanted to do is put some flower boxes in the front. i think that will dress it up.. when i get rid of the donkey, what can i put to hide the well pump that isnt $$$
I am a firm believer, when it can add something. flower boxes/ and or shudders...I had a property on the market for awhile, it had been painted an unexciting beige and the owners were not going to change it and one day I said, okay, let's do something, had tham paint the front door deep raspberry and shudders to match...poof! it brought something to the house....
I have worked with buyers who have said we don't khow what we really want...etc., I have asked buyers what don't you want which is also helpful; sometimes they say a ranch, raised ranch or a cape, whatever, however, the more time I spend with them and listen to them as we all pretty much do, then I decide, what the hey.....and I have said to purchsaers, we are going to see a property, thjis is everything you have said you don't want, however, I think it will be just what you want...and I drag them....and it has worked!
i wish every realtor thought that way.... if i get extra$ i will do a little more.. my front door is red, mabey i can brighten it up.. the door is important, i know that.. i hate my front stoop, but that is a job to redo... esp with my price dropped soo low, there are things we are just gonna leave alone. a little at a time things are getting extra attention. its so hard with the economy, we would love to spend a little more. i havent bought mums or flowers for a couple years now due to the cost.
where is your house; can I see it on the MLS/Realtor.com?
Certainly I don't know the area, other homes, etc., but maybe you should not lower it anymore .... have you all had an open house? Sometimes those are good...some are for agents/brokers only and others are open houses for the public...
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and almost 3/4 of the basement has massive rocks/mini-boulders in it which clearly do not acommodate a "family room". So, you can't get rid of these rocks and boulders so the question how do you deal with it...I pictured incredible train tracks around the boulders as there is some room to put tracks around the back side of the boulders; I can visualize these sophisticated train tracks all around the boulders; I can visualize towns and villages and trees, etc., being glued to the rocks and there can be the most incredible toy train system in what would have been a basically useless basement albeit the furnace and hot water tank.
i agree
