Real Estate Listings Outpace Sales, yet homes are selling. What makes one home sell over another one?

This question of what makes one home sell over another one has been asked thousands of times and comes up in conversation more often now.  The answer is a combination of issues.  1.  Price....this is usually the number one reason a home sits on the market.  If you are priced to high compared to other homes of like square footage, layout and property size you will not attract buyers.  The number one reason without being to obvious, is no buyers no sale.  As the market changes and competitive homes drop their price to attract buyers your homes price becomes to high.  Keeping track of the market conditions will increase your opportunity to sell.  2.  Marketing or exposure to attract buyers and real estate agents who represent buyers.  If your property is not in front of buyers so they can find it, your property could be priced better than anyone in the neighborhood, and still not sell!  So, aggressive marketing and exposure of your property is key to attracting buyers.  This is especially true in a buyers market when you have more homes on the market than buyers to buy them.  3.  Photos, yes Photos! The more the better.  You won't attract many buyers without photos.  In most cases buyers skip looking at listings that do not have photos.  They may come back to your property later if they do not find something else they can look at first.  Photos are king.     4.  Condition, I know it is a pain to always have your home ready for a showing.  Don't the buyers know you have to live in it until it's theirs!  Yes they do, but the truth is not all buyers can visualize what a home will look like with their furniture in your home.  So the homes arrangement based on layout is another key factor.  Keeping your home in show condition is a struggle but absolutely necessary.  You do not want anything to distract the buyer from viewing the home with them in it!  So a sink full of dirty dishes or a basket of laundry, engine parts on the garage floor all cause questions instead of giving the buyers a warm fuzzy feeling.   Along with the general maintenance and physical condition or curb appeal.  Have your home look great from a the curb as people drive by and they will stop!

There is much a real estate agent can do to earn his or her fee, yet I think the number one thing they can do is sell your home giving you all the service you deserve.  Nothing causes more anquish than a home that sits on the market.  You as the seller hate it and become discouraged while the agent struggles with new ideas to increase your properties exposure.  This does not happen with a well defined marketing plan for your property.

Let me know your thoughts on this subject.  Many sellers are struggling with not selling right now.

Thanks,

Gary White