why can't I sell my home?

[Dukkha]

On the 15th it will be six months on the market with no offers at all and less than a dozen showings. it's not a sump it's a very nice condo with lots of upgrades and shows very well. Every other one in the community has sold within that time frame. I'm extremely desperate now and need to get rid of it this summer by any means necessary. What alternative means are there to unload a place and get out of a mortgage? Like I said I'll do anything up to and including foreclosure.

[billyskank]

1. If the others are going, then there must be a reason.

Something that is putting people off. You need to find out what so you can rectify it.

[supernova]

5. I agree with you Billy

Sprucing up your place so that others will want to buy it is a real art form.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. Contact your bank (if this is a financial problem) and see if they

would be open to a short sale. A short sale is where the bank will take under your mortgaged value for the home. It's worth a shot...if you are financially desparate. If every one has sold in six months, I would say that you are overpriced. It's had decent exposure to the market. This is MrsGrumpy the appraiser speaking. :hi:

[Wcross]

3. Price?

What are you asking compared to other condos in the area? How about the paint/decor? Does your particular condo have any drawbacks?

[Dukkha]

8. the price is actually below value

the thing that is hurting it the most by far is that it's a condominium and the association fee has gone up a whopping 50% in only 3 years! at $153/month for services i never use i.e. poll, lawn care etc. It was somewhat um, "artistically" decorated so I repainted the rooms o be neutral and have new carpeting all about except the 1st level which is all laminate flooring. Here's the listing so you can see it for yourselves
http://associates.ohio.remax.com/listings/ListingDetail_r4.aspx?LID=27883719#aTop

I'm real desperate now because my divorced g/f is trying to get full custody of her children and I don't have the rooms. they're with their loser father who has no job along with his even bigger loser skank g/f who's also unemployed. The children are unhappy there nd are treated poorly and beg us to move in all the time. Now that school is ending, oh their schools sucks BIG time too!, we need to act fast and get resettled.

[AlCzervik]

10. the other units in your complex that sold, are they all 2 bed 1 1/2 bath?

[Dukkha]

14. mostly

a few are three BR some have less SQ footage and are 2nd level only.

[AlCzervik]

15. is your realtor marketing your place aggressively? How long is your contract for?

[Dukkha]

17. fortunately it's done in two weeks

and i have no intention of renewing

[NMDemDist2]

19. see my post below, get the house ready for an aggressive realto

and you'll sell it in no time I bet!

here's a before and after of my kitchen

before (when I lived in it)






and after when I was selling it

[NMDemDist2]

16. OK I went through this last year and sold my home the first weekend in a

slowing and saturated market.

I looked at your pictures and you have some problems

first, the cats. I know you love your furbabies, but having a pic online of cats sleeping on the bed is horrible. lots of people are allergic and cats will make a place stink (sorry folks, but it's the truth) You need to do a few things then have all new pics taken

here's the pics from my house when it was 'staged' (these are my personal pics, I didn't allow the dogs in the realtor's pictures)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=287&topic_id=2872

ok, so in your home, lose the plants and columns in the dining room, makes the ceiling look very low

clean out your second bedroom and make it a bedroom or an Office. You may need to rent a storage place for your stuff (i had a 8x12 shed in the back FULL of stuff I had already packed) Pack up most of your books, all your pictures and stuffed animals. Clean off most everything off your kitchen counters except the coffee maker. Open those shower curtains (it makes the rooms look bigger) and get lighter colored ones and lose the dark rugs unless the floors are in bad shape.

get together with your Realtor and put together a two week game plan, and be ready to show the house any minute, you'll be basically camping in your own house, wipe down the sink every time you use it and keep it spotless at all times. when you are having the open house, have fresh baked cookies so the house smells good or have a popourri simmering somewhere so the house smells like cooking and 'home'

the link I gave you is nothing like what our house looked liked when we lived in it. but we sold it fast and got top dollar. it's a PITA but you need to get proactive

PM me and I'll help if I can

[Whoa_Nelly]

27. Ahhhhh! I remember that home well!

;)

Hi there, AZDD6! :hi: :loveya:

[NMDemDist2]

30. hi hi !!

technically, it's NMDD2 now, but who's counting ?? :rofl:


:hi: :pals:

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

38. I second everything AZ said.

My sis & BIL sold their house for top dollar in a saturated market. They did exactly what AZ did. Their house was always clean, but it hit immaculate stage when it was on the market. Also, I never thought they had too much furniture, but they took a lot of it out & put it in storage.

The funny thing was, they really weren't all that sure that they wanted to sell. They were just kicking the idea around & decided to test the market. First offer came within 2 percent of their asking price.

[SmokingJacket]

44. Ours sold quickly too, and I give credit to the realtors who told us

to put most of our stuff in storage. It has to look empty -- but not abandoned! -- for people to imagine living there.

It's also making our move easier, since we already boxed up and stored so much stuff.

[hippywife]

49. I third this sentiment.

Your home is very nice but it screams of your own tastes. Buyers need to be able to picture themselves living there and if too much of your own personality is in evidence, it's distracting and deters their own imagery.

[Wcross]

4. Also- a new realtor?????

Find out who listed the other units in the complex and use them?

[Gormy Cuss]

6. What does your realtor say?

Your asking price is probably comparable to the similar sized units, so is your unit different from the ones that sold in some way that may affect price-- are you on the first floor, or facing a main street? Do you have a less desirable view or parking arrangement? If any of those is true, your unit is probably not worth as much to prospective buyers as the same sized ones without those detractions.

Have you staged it for showings? Your furniture arrangements make work well for you but convey a sense of small or cluttered spaces to a prospective buyer. Alternatively, your furnishing may feel too personalized and the prospective buyers can't get pass it. Have you purged the condo of your excess belongings, particularly family/friends photos and hobby or personal interest mementos? Are the walls and floors in neutral colors, or are there strong colors like blues, greens, red, or black? Weirdly enough many people are turned off by something as simply as the wall colors.

I also agree that it may be time to find a new realtor. A showing a month means that the listing isn't working.

[Dukkha]

9. a bunch of BS!

she keeps blaming the market. if that was so then all the other units here would not have sold either. She has never once brought anyone in here herself and last weekend was our first open house which was not promoted and only one neighbor showed up. and my cat bit him!

[Gormy Cuss]

11. Dump her and now.

Do you have a signed agreement? Check to make sure that you can end it without penalty and then do so. If you are locked in (unusual for more than six months) then hold her feet to the fire and insist that she do the job she agreed to do. Have her pull comps on the recently sold units and let her explain to you how they sold and yours didn't. Has she held a broker's open house? That's often more important than a public one. Is your listing on Craigslist? That's a pretty cheap way to advertise it.

The realtor should have advised you to remove the cat before the open house, by the way. Much better to have the pets out of the space for showings. I realize that you may not have a way to do that, but if the cat is in the condo during showings it's a distraction for potential buyers (and in your case, sounds like a hazard too. If you have a cat carrier it would be best to put the cat in it if you can't take the cat with you.

on edit: I see it's cats. You definitely do not want them wandering around during an open house if you can avoid it. Perhaps park them in the garage during that time?

I looked at the pix and have a few suggestions with little or no cost attached. First, buy some flowering annuals like marigolds and petunias and use them to spruce up the front entry area and the patio. Other ideas:

--Remove the tall plants on pedestals. They're making the room look small. Try to place the hanging plants from the living room on the pedestals instead, or remove the pedestals all together.

--If you can remove it easily, get rid of the border in the kitchen and repaint the walls. The border is attractive and in good shape but it's one of the details that turns off people.

--The second bedroom should be rearranged to look like a bedroom. Now it looks like an office/studio. It's easier to visualize putting junior in there when it's got a bed and night stand set up for the viewing.

--Lastly, the family room has too much stuff in it. It looks like cool stuff but there's too much of it and the room looks cluttered which translates as "small room." I think if you just remove the stuff stacked on either side of the bookcase it would help a lot.

The place does look great overall.

[Connonym]

7. No answers but I'm in the same boat :(

I may not be able to avoid the F thing and it's breaking my heart. :hug: hope things look up for you soon.

[Midlodemocrat]

12. FWIW, here's my advice.

The condo is beyond adorable. It should be selling. It looks as though you have a basement? I would figure out a way to put in some temporary spaces for the kids and move them in until the market improves. There is no law against kids sharing a bedroom.

You've done a really nice job with the place; it could be that the market just isn't working in your favor.

[Schema Thing]

13. don't worry about it; just get another lounger to move in with you.

[helderheid]

18. try this - I am serious

http://www.stjosephstatue.com/

[Christa]

20. You must be kidding Helderheid

Neo, your home is lovely.

You need to declutter it seriously though. All Plants, most of the pictures, most accessories, everything OFF the kitchen shelves.

Prospective buyers see all your personal belongings, not the home itself. Store it in boxes somewhere out of sight. Make sure that the house smells clean and fresh.

And under no circumstances think a plaster statue is going toe help, not in a million years. Think practical.

;)

C

[helderheid]

22. I'm not kidding! My mother has been in the biz for YEARS.

[Christa]

23. What biz?

The statue biz?

I am a real estate agent myself, I know what customers want, I know what needs to be done to sell a house.

I am giving practical advice to Neo. A statue us not going to help - the house needs to be uncluttered so prospective buyers will see the house for what it is.

Believe me ;)

[helderheid]

24. Real Estate Biz. I too, am an agent.

ETA your advice is wonderful. Mine can't hurt IN ADDITION. :)

[dysfunctional press]

29. it really DOES work...

our place has been on the market since february- no offers...we bury the statue, and at the following weekend's open house- we got a buyer making an offer.

[Christa]

32. Don't you think

the open house played a bigger role than a buried statue?

I mean guys, get real for a minute.

You are talking about a worthless piece of plaster of paris - this is not the middle ages anymore.

You can bury as many statues as you want, but in the end it's the marketing and marketing tools that sell a property.

[helderheid]

39. Like I said, it can't hurt. One never knows...

[muriel_volestrangler]

50. You could tell prospective buyers there's a fragment of the True Cross buried in the garden

Hey, it couldn't hurt, could it?

[dysfunctional press]

53. i'm an atheist...and we've been having open houses since february.

i gotta give props to results.

[Sanity Claws]

36. My thoughts too

Too much stuff in the rooms. Take down the drapes. Take down the sconces or whatever is in the back on the wall. If they are the lighting, replace with something much lighter and more modern.
Your living space has a very old-fashioned look to it. Young folks are looking at condos. They find it hard to imagine living in an old-fashioned place.

[hiaasenrocks]

46. I buried a statue hoping someone would post what you just posted.

[Digit]

48. Yes, I have used the services of the good saint myself.

Yes, it worked. I don't know how, but it did.

[Release The Hounds]

51. I sold our house in April.

Listed to Close in 31 days.

[DS1]

21. Because nobody is buying

[Dukkha]

25. Thanks for the tips and a few have been done already

The photos are a bit out of date the living room was already rearranged and de cluttered as suggested and this month I planted lots of annuals outside. I have a storage space rented so more can go in. I'll lose the pedestals and trees. The kitchen border may be too hard to get off. The 2nd bedroom though has to remain an office/recording studio as it's a big daily necessity. There's a giant bird Spider and millipede in the master bedroom I make sure to keep their tanks covered for showings.

[Gormy Cuss]

45. Good luck, Neo.

With a new realtor and new photos up you should be able to sell it. It's really a cute place. From everything you've written I'd say the realtor hasn't been giving you the right advice on how to move it. At least you can get rid of her in a few weeks.

[Whoa_Nelly]

26. Sent you a PM

:hi:

[Dora]

28. Depersonalize and declutter. We sold our house in four days.

It's a drag, but it's worth it.

What you're doing by decluttering is essentially packing EVERYTHING you don't need to live in your house.

The payoff is twofold - you're making your house more viewable to buyers, and you're also getting a leg up on moving out - which you will have to do when you sell the house.

Rent a storage unit, borrow a friend's garage - do something. Get rid of each photo, knick knack, stack of magazines. The magnets on the fridge, the whatsis on the windowsill.

All of it must go. People who come in to see the home will only be distracted by your belongings. Decluttering is the only way. It must look as "model" homeish as possible. All horizontal surfaces must be cleared - including the kitchen counter.

Good lucki.

[LeftyFingerPop]

33. Very good advice. Also...

Wash some sheets in a pleasant smelling fabric softener. Hang them out to dry if you can, then bring them in. Bake some cookies or an apple pie so the smell wafts through the house.

I know this sounds silly, but you are trying to leave an impression in the buyer's mind's eye.

Smells are very powerful. A nice smelling, de-cluttered home will leave a strong impression and allow the buyer to imagine himself/herself living there.

Good luck.

[judaspriestess]

31. if you can possibly bury a St. Joseph somewhere

maybe in a potted plant if you don't have a direct yard.

What is your real estate agent doing to help you sell it?

on edit: just saw your pics, nice but way to clutterd looking. You need to strip the place down quickly. Get rid of the curtains. It looks dated. All the furniture, pics on the walls etc are making your place look small. Also if you know someone is coming to view, burn some cinammon incense, to make it feel homey.

I've been a real estate agent for 10 years. Good luck!!

[NC_Nurse]

34. Get a new realtor.

We had the same problem. Our house wouldn't sell for 9 months. Our realtor was nice, but not aggressive and didn't help us figure out what needed changing.

The house sold within 30 days of getting a new realtor who told us EXACTLY what changes/fixes to make.

I've also had friends that swore by the St. Joseph statues - one sold her house within a couple of weeks of burying one - after months on the market.
The other's husband was a contractor. It had worked for them before to....ya never know.;-)

[philosophie_en_rose]

35. A few suggestions.

1. Decorate your condo is a neutral tone. Yes, it's boring, but it's hard to focus on the structure of the place with the dark curtains or rugs. I would take down all of the wall decorations and personal effects and anything that stands out on its own. I would also redo the bedding and window treatments in white. It might not be very personal, but it will make the space more open.

2. Speak to your realtor. It's his or her job to sell your place and you need to sit down with the realtor to understand what he or she is doing. Sitting around and waiting for buyers is NOT acceptable. Ask for a short-term, aggressive plan.

3. Ask your new neighbors what they liked about their condos, when they decided to purchase them. Ask them to tour your place to point out any differences or suggestions.

4. Could you rent the place out? I'm not sure what the rental market is like in your area, but you may be able to get a renter to pay your mortgage.


There really is no excuse for your condo not selling. If it weren't in Ohio, I'd buy it. It's adorable.

[Dukkha]

37. unfortunately I can't do a lot of this advice.

One, no outdoor modifications are allowed, the condo won't allow it. Two, I am TOTALLY out of money. I cannot spend a dime on the place and I'm already in debt for modifications and I have no time or patience to do more. Three, I can only "unclutter" so much I simply cannot put my life on hold by throwing out or storing away everything I own.

The whole point of the OP is to find an alternate means to get rid of it. i.e. not selling through a realtor on the market. I see ads onine for places that buy homes for cash so I'm looking into an alternate route like that. I have no interest now in making a profit I just want out of my mortgage. I can't go through another six months of this.

[NMDemDist2]

40. ok, those "we buy houses" guys. watch out! I did that once and the

mortgage never came out of my name. the guy made the payments OK but the mortgage stayed on my credit as a debt for years! it really screwed me up a couple times, so beware of that too.

if you can find one that will truly pay off your mortgage that's another story but mostly they just give you some cash and take over the payments in your name. If they get overextended you're screwed.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

42. I didn't know that.

I see those signs all over, but had no idea how it worked.

Valuable info & I will definitely remember it.

:thumbsup: for sharing.

[matcom]

41. can you refi as a temp solution?

might be able to at least drop your payments until you find a buyer

[sbj405]

43. What are rents like in your area? Can you cover your mortgage by renting or renting-to-own?

Places that buy homes for cash will buy your place way undermarket value and flip it.

[Digit]

47. Realtor here....

Take any family photos down and stash them.
No magnets allowed on the fridge at all! Nothing but clean front of fridge showing.
Lighten and brighten. Leave lights on when you know someone is coming.

No animal/smoke/cooking smells allowed!

Take some pictures and post it on craigslist.org You are allowed four pictures and you can even link to a map.

Look over how your Realtor has it listed in MLS....is all the information correct? Ask them for a printout. How much are they offering for a selling commission? Are they splitting it 50/50 or keeping the higher percentage for themselves. Whoops, did I say that?

Of course I don't know your market, but if your competition is selling and you are still hanging around, something is amiss.

[hippiechick]

52. It's a condo.

In the current market, people who can afford to buy in that price range want to buy homes with (at least a little) land/yard and without the exorbitant monthly condo maintenance fees.

There was an article in (I think) the Economics forum a couple weeks ago about the shitload of condo's sitting on the market in Florida, in particular. The condo boom is just about over, its just slower rippling up to our part of the country (here in Indy, they're building them like crazy, and 80% of them are standing empty).

Oh, and the housing market in general is shaky at the moment (I work at a real estate office).


Good luck to you!