Don't really want the house to sell? Here's how

Paul Pastore, is a broker with Re/max Achievers in Chandler, Arizona. Here is his take on how Sellers can insure that their homes won't sell.

Here are the top ten ways any seller can practically guarantee their home won't sell:

1. Not serious about selling. A sage once quipped, "Money is only important when you don't want something enough." Real estate expert R.L. Brown said that if half of the 58,000 sellers in Maricopa County (Arizona) removed their for sale signs we would be at normal inventory levels. Actions speak louder than words in this market. Discretionary sellers should wait for a less competitive environment.
   
2. Improper pricing. A home properly priced is half sold. No amount of full color ads, glossy flyers, multiple photos, virtual tours, agent luncheons, Goodyear blimps, pom-pom girls or Saint Joseph statues will compensate for the wrong, timid retail price.
   
3. Not listening to your agent. Attorneys believe if you represent yourself, you have a fool for a client. Doctors don't self-diagnose. Professionals use professionals. Even though most people believe they are experts on raising kids and real estate; full-time, career pros usually know what's best. Listen very carefully.
   
4. Micromanage the marketing. Just because you sold cookware in college, carts in California, or carpeting in Cranston does not qualify you to second-guess your agent. If you had a real estate license years ago, tell your children about the "good old days." Share your concerns and timelines, but leave the details to the listing pro.
   
5. Don't stage the property. Someday shag multi-colored, sculptured carpeting will come back. Whitewashed cabinets, Navajo white walls, linoleum flooring, southwest décor, lots of personal photos and Elvis paintings on black velvet should be removed. And, oh by the way loose the long sideburns.
   
6. Let Fido run loose. Recently, I entered a house and two frisky, friendly black Labs ran to sniff me. Unfortunately, I had light gray dress slacks on that day. Both wet stains lasted for hours. Until that day I didn't realize dogs enjoyed chewing the tassels on expensive loafers.
   
7. Talk to the buyers. Life gets lonely at times. Why not ask the buyers where they grew up? Or how much they qualify for. Tell them about the vacant rental next door. Or, the sex offender who left the area. Maybe they could baby-sit next weekend! Why not share war stories, horror movies or meatloaf recipes?
   
8. Sell personal items. Wow, maybe the buyers want to buy the patio furniture, rotary lawnmower or life size statue of Saint Anthony. You only have four more boxes of Girl Scout cookies to sell. Why not ask for a donation for the March of Dimes, the Humane Society or the local PBS station. Remember the saying, "loose lips sink ships?"
   
9. What's that smell? My house doesn't smell of pet odors, baby diapers, curry powder, garlic, fried fish, coconut incense, cigars, manure, mulch, dairy farms or low tide. The buyer must be confusing my castle with a track home.
   
10. Avoid feedback. What do buyers know anyway? Imagine the fact they don't appreciate my barbed wire fence, heavy duty rebar, backyard bomb shelter, airport runway views, lights from the power plant, hum from the high voltage lines, railroad tremors, scorpion skeletons, termite mud tubes and pet snakes.

3:08 PM - Dec. 10, 2007 - comments {5} - post comment

RE: Don't really want the house to sell? Here's how

I love this. I am going to try and link to this later.

Scott Pierce - 10:43 AM - Dec. 14, 2007

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RE: Don't really want the house to sell? Here's how

Paul this is a great post and so very true. Usually my listings sell, and when they don't it's often a combination of some of the above items. Sometimes instead of looking at these, sellers fixate on something else (something trivial) that they'd like to blame the lack of offers on.

Under "don't stage" I would add "don't keep your home or yard tidy". Sometimes after 2-3 weeks on the market, sellers just get tired and give up on the basics.  It's frustrating to hold a home open but have to make excuses for poor housekeeping.

I am convinced that some folks put their homes on the market but really don't want to sell. They list it because their grown kids think they should, or a spouse or partner is pressuring them into it. They will sell only if they get 100% of their (usually unrealistic) demands met.  But it's set up to fail from the beginning. Mentally these folks are not going to sell for fair market value. They're just putting in an appearance to appease someone else.

Great list!

Mary Pope-Handy
Los Gatos, CA

Mary Pope-Handy - 6:58 AM - Dec. 15, 2007

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RE: Don't really want the house to sell? Here's how

Great Blog!!!!  Funny and so true!  I bring in a professional staging crew on most of my listings, except the few that are already "Staged" to the max. It really makes a difference! Most sellers love this, and end up buying the props when escrow closes.

But getting them to keep Fido out of the picture has been a real challenge to me. You'd think I was asking them to banish their first born child!

I will save this list...

Alyssa Knight - 11:11 AM - Dec. 17, 2007

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RE: Don't really want the house to sell? Here's how

Nothing like a little sarcasm for a laugh or two.

Michael White - 11:33 AM - Dec. 21, 2007

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RE: Don't really want the house to sell? Here's how

Great comments on non-sold houses. I'm going to use them as 3rd party validation for "challenging" listing opportunities. My Broker manager recommends that we have dog owners sign a disclosure statement if owners insist that "Fido" is still in residence during the home sale. The disclosure says basically "I have been informed by Realtor xxxx that my home will take longer to sell and will sell for $15-20,000 less if my dog(s) are in my house when Realtors are trying to show houses and I am at work, shopping, etc." That maybe will encourage the owners to find a doggy day care, friend or relative to care for the dog. Doggy day care is much less expensive than losing a potential sale or $15K in sale price. - Stuart Piper - CRS,GRI Prudential Carruthers Realtors, Washington,DC and northern Virginia suburbs.

Stuart Piper - CRS,GRI - 4:10 PM - Dec. 23, 2007

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