11 Brutally Honest Reasons Your Home Hasn’t Sold

This may be a little painful, but file it as something you need to know. Here are 11 painfully honest reasons your home hasn’t already sold…

Your house is on the market. And it has been….for a while. Other homes are selling. In fact, many of them are selling quickly. You’ve heard of bidding wars, multiple offers…even cash offers in your area. But not your house. There it sits, week after week. Month after month.

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And you are wondering, “Why?”

It’s a great question.

And here’s my question for you, “Are you actually ready to hear the answer?” Really think about that for a minute. If you do want the answer, it’s here for you. But it’s probably going to sting a bit. Maybe even a lot.

It’s totally your call.

Before we dive in, you may be wondering, “who the heck is this lady, and why in the world should I believe what she has to say?”

Another great question.

I’m Heather. I’m the owner, writer, photographer and creative behind the home decor and DIY website, The Heathered Nest. My work has been published in national magazines and newspapers to include Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Real Simple, House Beautiful, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe & many more. We’ve even been involved with several shows on the DIY Network, including “I Hate My Bath,” “I Want That,” and I was a designer for “Nashville Flipped”.

Along with my husband, Dave, we have purchased, renovated and sold many houses over the years. Some we’ve sold “by owner” without the assistance of agents, and others using realtors.

We’ve been landlords for 15 years, managing and operating our rentals without outside property management companies or real estate agents to assist us with acquiring or managing our rentals.

And I’m a real estate agent. For the past 6+ years, I’ve toured properties with hundreds of buyers. I’ve seen homes that show amazingly well. And I’ve stepped through more than a few thresholds that felt more like I was entering the Twilight Zone.

After years and years of studying the reactions of buyers as they tour homes, it’s pretty easy for me to predict what a buyer’s reaction will be when they see certain things.

Not only that, but I can also now tell almost immediately what homes will sell quickly, and which homes will sit on the market.

And while each real estate market is different, there are some universal truths about why some homes sell, and some homes don’t. This article will delve into the 11 chief things that will cause a home to sit on the market without selling. And what you can do about each of these issues.

I know that reading through these may be tough. It may sting. You may reject it and say I have no clue what I’m talking about. You may shed a tear. And all of that is fair. Selling your home is a very emotionally charged, stressful event.

But if your goal is to sell your home, and it hasn’t been going well so far, then I’m going to wager that you need to hear at least one, but possibly several things on this list. Don’t let them bring you down. Instead, use these as a launching pad to get your home on a better track to a quicker, more profitable sale.

Are you ready? Let’s dive in.

11 Reasons Your Home Hasn’t Sold Yet

1.) Your home is cluttered.

Buyers aren’t clairvoyant. They can’t see through all your stuff in order to realize the awesome potential that’s hidden by your cluttered basement, garage, etc.

Unless your buyers are bringing the Property Brothers in tow, then you are going to want to give decluttering a really, really, REALLY first-class effort.

And it also looks more “move-in-ready” in the buyers’ eyes.

Decluttering can be a special challenge for families. Let’s face it. Kids may be small in stature, but they come with a LOT of stuff.

The toys. LOTS of toys. Board games, collectibles, stuffed animals, game consoles, arts and craft supplies, outdoor riding toys…your kids are lucky, and it’s plain to see you’re a great parent.

But here’s the hard, horrible truth. You gotta put that stuff away. ALL of it. The games, the crafts. Everything.

Why? Because the struggle of dealing with kids’ clutter is a universal ailment amongst parents.

Buyers leave their own toy-strewn, Lego-cluttered, board game-laden house of horrors and drive over to your home to tour. And you know what they are looking for? A reprieve. A zen experience in a home that doesn’t have the toy clutter issues. They want a home with adequate storage where all the kids’ toys have a place. They want a clean, clutter-free, storage-o-plenty, organized haven.

And you can’t give them that experience when your kids’ stuff looks like, well, everyone else’s…like a toy tsunami landed on your house.

I know decluttering can be a pain in the arse, but when you’re able to get your home quickly under contract after some decluttering efforts, you’ll believe in the process.

Solution:

Not sure where to start? I’ve got you covered. Here are two great resources to get you off on the right decluttering foot:

a.) Decluttering For Profit

• This free guide will give you show you how to make a profit as you declutter! How’s that for incentive? This 16-page guide will help you transform your clutter to calm and give you tips, tricks, even a sales calendar to show you the best times of year to clear out your clutter.

b.) Prep to Sell – 5 Key Decluttering Tips

• Learn the most important places and techniques for decluttering your home when the goal is to put your home on the market.

c.) Pay attention to the clutter-zones

Clutter really is obvious to buyers in certain locations in the house. Pay close attention to these spots, and clear out as much as you possibly can in each area.

Donate, sell, rent an offsite storage unit if you need to. The goal is to live like minimalists while your home is on the market.

Keep ONLY what is absolutely necessary if you want to make the most impact and increase the likelihood your house will go under contract as quickly as humanly possible:

2.) Your home is outdated.

A home being outdated, on its own, is not usually cause for it not to sell. Homes, regardless of having had recent updates WILL sell.

But the combo of a home priced TOO high when at the same time updates have not been made is not a recipe for a successful sale.

You have to make a choice.

Solution:

If you want to sell your home for TOP DOLLAR, then you need to put in some upfront work and investment in order to update the things in your home that really need it.

On the flip side, if you’d rather not mess with a bunch of work, or worry about investing money that there’s a chance you won’t recoup, there’s a solution for that as well, but it’s one you may not love hearing.

Let’s go through both options:

Option a.) Consider making some improvements. 

Some of the best improvements you can make don’t necessarily cost a fortune. A fresh coat of interior paint, a good power washing and mulching your front walkway/planting beds are three relatively simple and inexpensive “updates” that can go a long way to make your home look and feel more updated and buyer-friendly.

Want more ideas? You’re in luck! I’ve put together a quick checklist of the home updates that will give you the “biggest bang for your buck”. You can Grab a free copy here ⤵️:

“What if I don’t want to put any more time, effort, or money into my property? What else can be done?” you may wonder.

I have an answer for you, but it’s one you probably won’t want to hear…

Option b.) Consider lowering your sales price.

Ouch. I know nobody wants to hear that as a potential option. But if you don’t want to make any improvements, and your home has just been sitting on the market attracting nothing but dust bunnies, a lower price on an outdated home (even if it’s only a modest reduction) will always attract buyers.

How much should you lower it? That answer is well beyond the scope of this article. If you’re working with an agent, they are the ones to ask.

Don’t like their answer? Well, you can reach out to another if you’re not being legally represented by an individual agent yet.

But hear this…if an agent is experienced, they’ll know a good ballpark number for you based on the market conditions.

I’ve seen some buyers who change agents like they change socks. And guess what? No matter how many agents these sellers blow through, the outcome is the same. If a home is outdated and overpriced, it will just sit.

Many buyers even prefer to purchase a home that needs work rather than one that’s had recent updates. Why? They are looking for a deal, and for a place on which they can put their personal stamp.

Lots of buyers would choose an outdated home at a lower price, to one that’s had recent “cheap” updates with an inflated sales price.

“Besides lowering my sales price, what else can I do with my outdated home?” you may ask. A LOT if you are willing to put in some money, time and effort!

3.) Your home has a bad smell. 

Noseblindness is a real thing. And that can be a blessing if you’re a homeowner who loves all 13 of your cats. Or one who cooks fish morning, noon and night.

We all develop a level of immunity to the smells generated in our own homes. That said, a stranger who walks through your front door for the first time is NOT noseblind to your fishy fare.

A buyer considering potentially the largest investment of their lives does NOT want their first impression to include your tunafish sandwich obsession, your smoking habit or the Eau Du Litterbox scent thanks to your 13 beloved cats.

Smells kill real estate deals ALL the time.

Really feel like your home smells just fine, huh?

This can’t be an issue for you, right?

Here’s a list.

If any of the items on this list are things you have in your house, prepare in your house, or enjoy in your house, I promise you that smell could be one of the main reasons your home is not selling.

Solution:

It would be folly for me to dish out cleaning advice as that is most certainly NOT a part of my wheelhouse. That said, I do have a few suggestions:

• Always use fans and kitchen vents while cooking
• Cook differently, if need be, while your home is on the market. AVOID fish/seafood dishes, frying things, and dishes with potentially offending ingredients like onions and garlic.
• Change air filters
• Try cleaning products known for their odor-controlling properties like baking soda
• Have a backup plan for pets (more on that in a moment, so prepare your feathers for more ruffling)
• Deep clean carpets
• Investigate and remediate the cause of any musty, mildewy, and/or moldy house smell – no amount of Glade plug-ins will cover the smell of your moldy basement, I promise you)
• If you smoke, honestly, it is best to NOT live in the home while it is on the market. Even when people smoke on their porches or outside the house, the reality is that smell permeates your clothing, and makes it’s way inside
• Fresh paint (once source of smells is identified and mitigated)
• Natural air fresheners, and in a limited number – do NOT over “scent” your home with cheap, chemically sprays and plug-in air fresheners. Instead, try one of these easy and inexpensive, all-natural alternatives

4.) You have pets inside during showings.

You love your pets. And I’m sure that when you say “My cat, Mr. Bigglesworth, is literally the best cat in the universe!” And “my dog Riley is an absolute angel,” you are speaking the truth.

But here’s the thing. I know it’s hard to believe, but there are people out there who loathe cats. There are people out there who are scared out of their minds when they see a dog. Jerks, right?

Or it could be even worse… the potential buyer could be very allergic to Mr. Bigglesworth or Riley. I know. The audacity.

Solution:

If there is ANY humanly possible way to get the pets OUT of your house while your home is on the market, do yourself (and your pets) a favor and do that. Buyers do not want to contend with Riley barking and jumping on them as they explore your kitchen. People do not want Mr. Bigglesworth hissing at them as they walk through your living room.

I’ve seen buyers flip out when they encounter pet snakes. I’ve seen buyers totally turned off by meeting people’s pet rats.

It sounds harsh, but if possible, evict the pets. Send them on an extended vacation to their grandparents’ house, and hide, or store off property all of their pet belongings once they are out of the house.

And don’t forget to deep clean any room that likely has Fluffy’s lingering scent. Can’t smell anything? Drag your neighbor over and have them take a sniff. Better safe than smelly…and sorry.

5.) Your home is too…YOU! 

If you thought our pet-talk was harsh. Prepare yourself because it’s about to get even worse.

Another reason your home may be lingering on the market? YOU.

And now you’re saying, “Seriously, WTH does that mean?” I’ll tell you. Have you ever had the experience of walking through a model home?

If you have then you know how enticing they can be. And there are a LOT of reasons why…

Just to name a few…

You know what they DON’T have in model homes?

Gallery walls of family photos that run the entire length of the staircases. Magnetized school papers and kids’ artwork on the refrigerator. A home office area full of diplomas. Picture frames covering all horizontal surfaces…in every room. In short, model homes are completely DEPERSONALIZED.

And there’s a really important reason for that. When our home is personalized with all of our things, it makes it very challenging for a potential buyer to walk through your home and picture themselves, and their families living there.

A model home helps the potential buyer paint a mental picture of themselves living there. Whereas a personalized home, full of your photos, your diplomas, your kids’ artwork, etc? That paints a picture of, well, YOU!

People are curious by nature. So when they see your diploma, they wonder. Where did you go to school? What do you do for a living?

When they see your family photos, they’ll start wondering about your family, rather than picturing their own family living there. And that’s a BIG problem if your goal is for them to fall so in love with your house that they want to buy it.

Solution:

If you’re a Harry Potter nerd like me, I liken it to the scene in the last Harry Potter movie (or maybe it’s the first of the last 2 movies? Either way…) when Hermione points her wand at the family pictures and says, “Obliviate”. And suddenly, her likeness is stripped from every nook and cranny in her childhood home. She erases herself.

And that’s kind of what you have to do with your home and your own family.

I know it sucks. I know it’s hard. I’ve been there, too. But the MORE you work to de-personalize your home by taking down family pictures, the kids’ art, your diplomas, etc. the FASTER your home will sell, and the less time the torture of having your home on the market will continue!!

You may be wondering about places like the kids’ playroom or their bedrooms. Do you really have to pretend your kids don’t exist altogether? No. Not totally. There are lots of buyers who will LOVE the fact you have a designated playroom. Seeing a neat and tidy playroom with minimal clutter, storage that’s not overstuffed, etc. can definitely be a draw.

But it HAS to be extremely neat, tidy, depersonalized and decluttered. It should have 50-75% fewer toys and clutter than it does under regular circumstances.

Their rooms? Just tone them down. Decluttering, as we talked about at the beginning of this post, is likely the most important action you will take in your kids’ spaces (along with the item that’s next on our list to discuss).

So start “obliviating” ASAP. The quicker you de-personalize your home, the quicker you’ll be able to re-instate all of your gallery walls and their toys and belongings in your new home.

6.) Your paint isn’t neutral. 

Your daughter insisted on lilac for her room. You have a thing for forest green…it’s calming to you.

Your son wanted a fire-engine theme, so his room is fire-engine red. Dining room? Turquoise.

While I personally LOVE you for not being afraid of color, those colors, lovely as they may be will NOT help you sell your home.

Solution:

I know white and gray can sound exceedingly boring to someone like you and me. It pains you to think of covering up those “fun” “bright” “happy” colors with a ho-hum white.

But if you want your home to sell fast, and for as much money as possible, then you need to tone down the color.

Light and bright whites and grays sell houses. It’s a fact.

And the great thing is that painting is neither hard or expensive. If you want to invest minimal money in prepping your home to sell, go buy some paint.

If you’re not someone who feels confident when it comes to choosing a paint color, I can help with that, too. I’ve done many posts on specific paint colors, so you can check some of those out.

I also have a free resource you can grab with my 5 best tips for picking the right paint color.

Need even more help?

My Paint Perfect System comes with a handy list of tried and true, BEST paint colors for selling your home! So check that out as well.

7.) You haven’t fixed some big things that really needed to be fixed.

A house that’s not cosmetically updated is one thing. But a home that has cracks in the foundation, a roof with missing shingles, an HVAC system that’s in disrepair, shutters hanging off the windows, etc. that’s a totally different story.

You can always tell the difference between a home that hasn’t been updated and a home that hasn’t been well cared for and maintained.

Solution:

You need to fix the things that are broken if you want your house to sell.

If you don’t want to bother fixing anything, then you can choose to drop the asking price, and discuss the option of selling “As-Is” with your agent. But just know that depending on the issues your home has, the price may need to drop significantly.

I know. It’s an ouch. But most people have seen the movie, “The Money Pit.” And they don’t want to end up like Shelley Long and Tom Hanks in this scene, you probably remember…

You realize, as do buyers, that deferred maintenance can be costly. And people are especially wary to buy when they feel there are likely “hidden” issues that they can’t see, predict, or budget for.

8.) You aren’t leaving the house during showings.

Just like your kids and your pets, I’m sure you are a wonderful person. Generally well-liked. Even adored. And adorable. I’m certain you’re adorable.

But here’s the thing. No matter how amazing you are, people do NOT want to meet you, talk to you, any of the above if they are coming with their agent to tour your home.

So scram.

Seriously. Get out.

Why? Review item #5.

Owners who:

1.) want to take the potential buyers on a personalized tour and share every little update, “improvement” and an interesting factoid about their home with potential buyers are hurting their chances of selling their home. For real.

2.) want to sit on their La-Z-Boy and finish watching the game while buyers are touring are also hurting their chance of selling their home. And YES, this is still true even if you are quiet as a mouse and don’t “interfere” at all with the tour.

If you really want to sell, you need to skedaddle.

I know this may feel counter-intuitive to some. After all, you’ve lived in your home for 20+ years. You know all of the updates, improvements, the squeaks in the stairs, the not-so-obvious way to turn on the gas fireplace.

You most certainly have extremely valuable information to share with potential buyers.

Solution:

You still need to be out of the house for showings. That is completely non-negotiable.

BUT, if there are great tips, facts, items that a potential buyer would be interested in, then type them on your computer and print them out.

Place them neatly around the home where they are useful. Don’t go overboard. But a few of these can be very helpful, insightful, and impactful.

If you’re wondering about certain items to include on such signage, run the ideas by your agent. They will definitely guide you on this.

9.) Your real estate photos are bad.

This is much more likely to be an issue if you’ve decided to do a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) than if you’ve decided to hire a professional agent.

THAT SAID, I’ve seen agents who take really, really atrocious photographs of properties as well. In fact, I actually experienced this as a seller with the first property we ever sold. We hired the least expensive agent we could, and wow…we got what we paid for. The agent sent an “associate agent” over to take the photos of our property. With his point and shoot camera. They were HORRID.

I ended up staging the house myself, and taking pictures on my “real” camera, with a tripod and lens that was conducive to real estate photography.

And they made a WORLD of difference.

Because of the photos, the home sold, sight unseen in less than a week, for a higher sales price that had been fetched in the neighborhood for over 5 years…and it took another 8 years for a home to sell for an equivalent price again.

That’s the power of pictures, friends.

There are ENTIRE websites devoted to making fun of bad real estate photos. Here are a few prime examples from the blog, Terrible Real Estate Photos. Truthfully, some were so cringeworthy, I couldn’t bear to plant them on my site.

The plastic sheeting is for the vomit caused by the migraine caused by everything else. pic.twitter.com/FilwzgXYeN

— Bad Realty Photos (@BadRealtyPhotos) October 7, 2019

If you want to look around we recommend sharing your proposed route, in case we need to contact Mountain Rescue. pic.twitter.com/rsYte8gR7L

— Bad Realty Photos (@BadRealtyPhotos) July 29, 2019

A total eclipse of the thumb.https://t.co/aZoYvZRvVj pic.twitter.com/XUNsHrnxc4

— Bad Realty Photos (@BadRealtyPhotos) May 13, 2019

Not yet Bernard. Feeding time isn’t until 6:30. http://t.co/xlUG9cqfib #realestate pic.twitter.com/iJaHCUIc18

— Bad Realty Photos (@BadRealtyPhotos) February 14, 2015

The Untidy States of Americahttps://t.co/xlUG9cqfib #USA #realestatefails #RealEstate #RealEstateMarketing pic.twitter.com/gdY0PAIla6

— Bad Realty Photos (@BadRealtyPhotos) April 13, 2019

Don’t let these tragedies happen to your home’s listing. They’re funny for us to look at so long as we don’t own the home that is being sold in the horrifying images.

Solution:

If you’ve made the decision to sell your home by owner, I have no issue with that. BUT, you need to represent yourself in the most professional way possible.

So HIRE a real estate photographer.

And definitely consider hiring a stager as well (that also goes for people working with a real estate agent. Sometimes, agents are good about offering staging advice/suggestions & tips, but many times, they are not).

Have your home PHOTO-READY when the photographer shows up. That means, no laundry out. Everything is sparkling clean. Buy some fresh flowers. Set a bowl of lemons out on the kitchen island.

Do anything and everything you can to make your home magazine-worthy. And please, for the love of all that is sacred and holy, corral Mr. Bigglesworth (and yourself) so that neither of you ends up as a subject in what should really be still life photographs.

Let me let you in on a little real estate secret…

Sellers constantly worry about their homes being “ready for the open house.” I am here to tell you that open houses mean almost nothing nowadays. Honestly.

Open houses are really for nosey neighbors, and that’s about the extent of it. Sure, a nosey neighbor can be helpful in selling your house because they may tell a friend who is in the market about your home.

Personally, if I were going to put my home on the market today? I wouldn’t even schedule an open house. But you can be darn sure my real estate photos would be ON POINT.

Your photos need to paint a picture of a lifestyle that a buyer wants to have.

Before you hire an agent, ask about photographs. Who takes them? Ask to see a portfolio of other listings and their pictures. And again, if you’re planning on a FSBO, then HIRE OUT your photos.

I cannot over-emphasize the importance of great real estate photos. A great photo will put you miles ahead of the competition in terms of getting people in to see your property, and that’s half the battle.

10.) You’re not being flexible.

“Be flexible.” It’s something we tell our kids all the time. Why? Because it’s important when dealing with others.

This skill set shouldn’t evaporate when your home is put on the market. Seller rigidity can negatively real estate deals in two areas:

1. During the showings phase
2. During negotiations

Issues with flexibility while your home is being shown:

Here’s the reality: having your home on the market is a serious pain in the arse. It’s a pain for you, your kids, your pets, everyone. But that said, the more flexible you are as far in helping showing agents get potential buyers into your property, THE QUICKER THE PAIN WILL BE OVER.

Showing agents are your friends. Help them out by having as few showing restrictions as humanly possible.

This is one reason it’s often easiest to wait until a home is vacant to list it. Then, agents can come and go as their clients’ desire, and your restrictions should be virtually eliminated.

If you, or worse, tenants, are living in the property, that, of course, will make the situation more complicated. But the more availability you open up for showings, the better for all parties.

And for the love…if you are requiring agents and/or showing services to contact you for pre-approval of each and every showing (which I really hope you are not), then PLEASE RESPOND to the requests ASAP.

Time is of the essence in real estate! If a buyer can’t get in to see your home, they’ll move on to another. Don’t miss a potential opportunity for a sale because of being inflexible or non-responsive.

Issues with flexibility during negotiations:

What’s the saying, “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”? I’m going to guess a real estate agent, whose hobby was quail hunting coined that phrase. What goes for quail, turkey, etc. also goes for contracts on your home.

If you have someone who has put an offer on your home, it’s usually a better bet to hinge at ones’ hips and bend ever-so-slightly backward to keep them on the hook than it is to be completely rigid and inflexible and lose the deal thinking, “a better one will come along.”

Sure, you may very well be right.

But will it happen soon? What will the contingencies be on their offer? When will they want to close? There are so many unknowns. Whereas, if you already have a contract and interested buyer, the unknowns are far fewer. Do yourself a favor and be flexible (at least a little bit) in order to give that contract a good shot at working out.

11.) Sadly, your asking price is just too high. 

I saved the worst for last. If you’ve read this far, and can honestly say none of these are issues for your home, then you need to revisit your asking price.

The reality is that ANY property will sell for the right price.

And the truth is that a home is worth ONLY what someone else will pay for it. If your home has been sitting on the market for ages without any true “bites”, then talking with your agent about a price reduction may be your next best option.

If you’ve been attempting to sell FSBO, and are in this situation, then it may also be time to re-evaluate that strategy. There are times when selling by owner can work great. I did it before I became an agent and have no regrets. But different situations call for different strategies.

Talk to your agent seriously about your current pricing strategy and situation. What advice do they have? Are you being OPEN to their feedback and counsel? I hope so. If you don’t have an agent, interview a few, and go with one who you feel will garner the best results.

Don’t make the mistake I did the first time around and go for the agent with rock-bottom pricing. Ask to see real estate photos, examples of their marketing materials. Ask what their pricing strategy would be for your home, and what you could do as an owner to best situate your home for a successful sale. And be wary of an agent who tells you only what you want to hear. If they are suggesting listing your home at a dream price that would be unheard of in your neighborhood, then be suspicious! If it sounds too good to be true…you know the drill. Don’t take the bait.

I’m not saying that you need to have a fire sale and give your home away for virtually nothing. A home is a huge investment, and I know that you want to make as much of a return on that investment as possible. But the market won’t change just because we desperately want it to, or even need it to. So we have to do the best we can with the situation and constraints we are working within.

If you really feel unable to make a price reduction that may be necessary in order for you to sell, then do you have another option? Can you wait to sell until the market situation changes a bit? Have you considered renting the property for a while in the hopes that the market will be stronger in a number of years? Dig deep and take a good hard look at the real estate environment and your options. Maybe selling right now isn’t the best strategy for you and your family.

If you made it this far…

without firing off a nasty email to me, congratulations! I know that this all may be emotionally challenging to hear. Our homes hold so much of our hearts, our emotions, our memories within them. Selling is difficult on many levels.

If you’re struggling right now, take a deep breath and know that this is a phase, and like all phases in life, it will eventually come to a close. When it does, you’ll feel all this weight fall from your shoulders and you’ll move on to brighter, better days.

My hope is that this information will not make you sad, disheartened, angry or bring about a sense of helplessness. Instead, use this information to help you understand what pitfalls could be preventing you from reaching your goal of selling your home.

If you are able to make changes, even modest ones, based on this information, I hope that your home will sell faster and for as much $$ as humanly possible! Best of luck to you. I wish you the absolute best in selling your home ❤️.

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