In short
If your home has been on the market for a couple of months with few viewings or no offers, something needs to change – usually the price, the presentation or the marketing, and often a combination. Start by asking for honest feedback, look at how your listing compares online, and consider a fresh approach or a second opinion.
It’s frustrating – and often worrying – when your home isn’t selling. The good news is that there’s nearly always a reason, and nearly always something you can do about it.
First, look at the numbers
The pattern tells you a lot:
- Few enquiries or viewings – the problem is usually how the property appears online: its price, photos or description.
- Plenty of viewings but no offers – buyers like what they see online but not in person, or it feels too expensive once they’ve seen it.
- Offers, but too low – the asking price may be out of step with the market.
Ask your agent for the figures – online views, enquiries and viewings – and for honest feedback from every viewer.
Check the price
Look at what’s sold nearby recently, and at what’s competing with your home now. If similar homes are selling for less, or sitting unsold too, the price may need to change.
Small changes can matter. Moving into a lower portal price bracket (such as from £310,000 to £299,950) puts your home in front of a whole new group of buyers.
Look at your listing with fresh eyes
Pull up your listing on Rightmove and compare it honestly with others at the same price:
- Are the photos bright, sharp and taken in good weather?
- Is the first photo the most appealing one?
- Is there a clear floorplan?
- Does the description sell the lifestyle, not just list the rooms?
Stale listings are easy to spot. New photos and a rewritten description can make a real difference.
Think about who the buyer is
Is your home being marketed to the right people? A rural home with land, a period property or a guest house may have buyers searching over a much wider area than the local town – and the marketing needs to reach them.
Consider a relaunch
Sometimes the best option is a proper fresh start: new photos, a new description, the right price, and a relaunch to the market. Check your current agency contract first, to see what notice you need to give if you’re thinking of changing agent.
From experience
We’ve sold many homes that were previously on the market for a long time with other agents. In one case, a period home near Huddersfield had been marketed for 492 days before it came to us. There’s nearly always a reason a home isn’t selling – and usually a fix.
Get a second opinion
A fresh pair of eyes can see things that are easy to miss when you’re close to it. An independent view on the price, the presentation and the marketing costs nothing, and it may be exactly what’s needed.