Being in the sales industry I am constantly striving to provide more and better service.  As an agent I never want to take a client’s “Dream” away from them or under deliver.  In short, my goals for a seller is simple: Sell houses at the highest possible price, in the shortest time, in a hassle free way.  

     However, proper pricing and preparing a house to sell is an art that requires experienced analysis and plain hard work.   Pricing and preparation are tasks universally understood, but rarely agreed on.  Unfortunately, due to the desire to win your business many sellers select an agent who quotes the highest price.  Over pricing and puffing up listing prices by REALTORs is an UGLY truth about our business and it is one of the many reasons why many homes do not sell.  Many sellers are truly unaware of the pitfalls of over-pricing.  Sellers reason that they can adjust the price if they need to.  Sadly, the decision to over price first and then come down later costs sellers time, money, aggravation and stress.  A shockingly high percentage of homes sell after 6 months or more on the market, using two or more different brokerages.  Even more shocking is the fact that almost half don’t sell at all. 

     Compounding the issue of pricing is understanding what  features add intrinsic value to a house.  Clearly a house cannot be valued on size alone.   Additionally, how does the tax appraised value affect my sale or does it?  What are the seasonal factors that affect pricing? Which holidays, sports events and economic factors affect sales?  It’s a lot to consider when selling. 

     So why hasn’t my house sold?  Generally it is a combination of pricing, preparation and exposure.  Or it could be a simple fix or incentive added for a buyers agent.  Perhaps it is the way the home is staged.  My advice is to interview agents to find out why?  However, re-frame your questions to the professional. Ask these questions?: If it were your house Mr. Realtor at what price would you list it?  If it were your house Mr. Realtor, what would you do to prepare the home?    Take a different approach and let the sales professional know that quoting a high price is not what you are interested in, rather you will select an agent based on the best analysis of the price and the best explanation of why and when the house will sell.  

     In conclusion: “Due diligence is always the key to success in Real Estate”.