Why is my house not selling?

Hi Jake, that showing count is the tell, so let me hand you the exact diagnostic I use, because the answer is almost never "the market." Read the traffic first: - Two showings in 40 days means buyers are not walking in the door. That is a price or exposure problem, full stop. If the price and photos were compelling, you would have showings even in a slow market. - Lots of showings but no offers would be a different problem (condition, or price at the margin). That is not your situation. Yours is a top-of-funnel problem. When buyers are not coming, it is almost always one of these: - Price. Buyers shop by price bracket. If you are priced just above a natural cutoff, or above the recent comparable sales, you are invisible to the buyers who should be seeing you. This is the most common cause by far. - Photos and online presentation. More than 90 percent of buyers start online. If the first photo is not scroll-stopping, the house never makes the shortlist. "Beautiful in person" does not matter if the thumbnail is weak. - Exposure. Confirm it is on the MLS, syndicated to the major portals, and being actively marketed, not just listed and left. The fix, in order: get your agent to pull the last 30 days of comparable sales and honest feedback, then decide between a price adjustment and a marketing relaunch (fresh photos, new first image, an agent and buyer email push). A meaningful price move plus a genuine relaunch usually breaks the logjam. Small, timid price drops tend to just signal desperation without attracting the next bracket. I am Zoltan Peresztegi, a real estate professional in Los Angeles and the South Bay, including Palos Verdes. If your home is in Southern California I am glad to review the listing and comps directly, and anywhere else I can connect you with a strong local agent for a second opinion. Zoltan

I understand your frustration. One of the hardest parts of selling a home is seeing other properties go under contract while yours sits on the market. The good news is that if you've only had two showings in 40 days, the issue is usually easier to diagnose. In real estate, a lack of showings often points to one of three things: • Price – Buyers may feel they can get more value from competing homes. • Presentation – Photos, condition, staging, or online marketing may not be generating enough interest. • Exposure – The property may not be reaching the right audience. If buyers are viewing the home but not making offers, the problem is often the house itself or the perceived value. However, when very few people are scheduling showings, price and marketing are usually the first areas to examine. I would ask your agent for: • Recent comparable sales and active competition. • Online viewing statistics for your listing. • Feedback from the buyers who toured the property. • A discussion about how your home compares to those that are selling quickly. It's also worth remembering that "beautiful" is subjective. Buyers compare your home against every other available option in the same price range, not just against the average home in the area. That doesn't necessarily mean your agent is doing a poor job, but it does mean it's time for a detailed review of pricing, presentation, and marketing strategy. The right question isn't "Is it my agent or my house?" It's "What is causing buyers to choose other homes instead of mine?" Once you identify that answer, you can usually take steps to improve the outcome.

I get why you’re frustrated. Two showings in 40 days is not enough activity, especially if other homes nearby are moving. In most cases, it comes down to one of three things: price, presentation, or exposure. The first thing I would check is price. Not the price you hoped for, and not just what your home is “worth” in general, but how it stacks up against what buyers can choose right now. Buyers compare your home to every other active listing in the same price range. If they see better updates, better condition, or better value somewhere else, they usually go there first. The second thing is presentation. Photos, staging, curb appeal, listing remarks, and even small repairs can make a big difference. A beautiful house can still get skipped online if the photos do not grab attention. The third thing is exposure. Your agent should be able to show you where the home is being marketed, how many online views it is getting, how many saves it has, and what feedback has come in from buyers or agents. I would ask your agent for a very clear review of the numbers: online views, saves, showing requests, feedback, recent comparable sales, and current competition. That will usually tell you pretty quickly whether the issue is pricing, marketing, condition, or some mix of all three. The good news is that if you catch it early and adjust the strategy, you may still be able to get back in front of buyers.

the market conditions are different depending on where you are. I am an agent in 2 markets and FL and Chicago are totally different. It comes down to where you are priced. Condition also counts along with what else sold in your target market.

There are only 3 things that cause a house to sell PRICE, CONDITION, LOCATION. You can control the first 2 items not the 3rd. Your agent should be able to send you info on comparable homes that have sold and even current market trends. If the house is not sold and the condition is great and the location is great it has to be PRICE. I know nobody wants to hear that but the value of any home is what someone is willing to pay. Changing agents is probably not the solution but asking your current agent about changing the price probably the right solution

When a home has great features — big yard, good schools, nice condition — but sits 40+ days with only 2 showings, it’s almost never just “the market.” It’s almost always one of three things: Price. Presentation. Positioning. And yes — sometimes the agent. Let’s break it down clearly so you know exactly where the problem is. 1. If you’re getting almost no showings, the issue is NOT the house — it’s the price This is the #1 rule in real estate. - Good houses priced correctly get traffic. - Good houses priced too high get silence. Buyers today shop online. They compare your home to every other listing in the same price bracket. If yours looks like less value for the same money, they won’t even schedule a showing. Two showings in 40 days = buyers think it’s overpriced for the category it’s in. Even a 5% overpricing can kill all activity. 2. Your photos, staging, or online presentation may not be competitive Even beautiful homes can be sabotaged by: - Dark or distorted photos - No floor plan - Poor lighting - Clutter - Bad angles - Missing key features in the description Buyers scroll fast. If your listing doesn’t “stop the scroll,” they move on. 3. Your agent may not be marketing it aggressively Some agents list a home and wait. Others create demand. If your agent is saying “the market is slow” while other homes around you are selling, that’s a red flag. Ask yourself: - Did they run digital ads? - Did they send it to their buyer database? - Did they do a broker open? - Did they push it on social? - Did they follow up with every showing agent? - Did they analyze feedback and adjust? If the answer is “no,” then yes — the agent may be part of the problem. 4. Your competition is beating you Buyers compare: - Price - Condition - Updates - Layout - Curb appeal - Location - Days on market If similar homes nearby are selling quickly, it means buyers see more value in those homes than in yours at your current price. This is not personal — it’s market behavior. 5. The market may be slower — but not THAT slow A slow market means: - Fewer showings - Longer days on market - More negotiation But slow market ≠ 2 showings in 40 days for a good house in a good school district. That level of inactivity almost always points back to pricing or presentation, not the market itself. So is it your agent or your house? Here’s the honest breakdown: If you’re getting showings but no offers → it’s the house or the price. If you’re getting almost no showings → it’s the price or the marketing. If other homes nearby are selling → it’s not the market. Your frustration is valid. Silence from the market is feedback — and it’s the most important feedback you’ll ever get. What you should do next Here’s the exact action plan top agents use: 1. Re‑evaluate the price using ONLY homes that sold in the last 60–90 days Not active listings. Not wishful thinking. Only sold data. 2. Audit your online listing Ask yourself: “Would I click on this if I were a buyer?” 3. Compare your home to the ones that sold quickly What did they have that you don’t? What did they price at? 4. Ask your agent for a full marketing report If they can’t show you what they’ve done, that’s a problem. 5. Consider a strategic price adjustment or a relaunch Sometimes a small reset creates a big result. Bottom line Your home isn’t selling because the market is giving you clear feedback — either the price is too high for what buyers expect, or the marketing isn’t strong enough to get them in the door. It’s almost never “just the market,” especially when nearby homes are moving. If you want, tell me your city, price, and a few details about the home — I can tell you exactly which of the three issues is holding it back and what the right next move is.

Without knowing some details, I would agree that it is difficult to know. There are a number of factors that can contribute to a home sitting longer. One piece of advice I can give without knowing the details of the home, pricing, comps, how the home is presented, etc., is to take a look at it from the eyes of a buyer and remove the personal feelings. Selling a home is personal to you; you've lived there and created a life in that home. Buyers are looking for that same experience, and some can imagine that, but they haven't lived in the home and don't have that personal connection. Removing personal feelings and looking at the home objectively may help. Again, I don't know the exact situation, but comparing yours to what was sold quickly, matching the details and accounting for the differences might give you an answer.

Unfortunately, there is not enough information provided regarding your home and current neighborhood situation. We would need to know what you are priced at, the condition of your property, property square footage, what the last comps have sold for and their condition, etc. Once we have this, we can give you a much better idea of what the issue is. Keith Jean-Pierre Managing Principal The Dapper Agents Operations In: NY, NJ, FL & CA

I understand why you’re frustrated—when a home sits on the market with very few showings, it’s usually a sign that something isn’t connecting with buyers. The good news is that in most cases, this can be identified and corrected. When a home isn’t getting traffic, it typically comes down to a few key factors: 1. Pricing vs. buyer expectations Even if a home is beautiful, buyers decide what to see based on price first. If similar homes nearby are getting more activity, it may be a sign your home is priced slightly outside where buyers see value. 2. Online presentation Most buyers decide whether to schedule a showing based on photos and listing presentation. Things like: • Photo quality • Lighting • Layout visibility • First impression can make a big difference in whether buyers click or scroll past. 3. Condition and staging Small details matter more than we expect: • Clutter • Personal items • Odors or maintenance issues • How spacious the home feels These can affect buyer interest even before they step inside. 4. Market positioning It’s not always about whether the market is “slow”—it’s about how your home compares to others buyers are seeing at the same price point. About your question: agent vs. house It’s usually not just one or the other—it’s about the overall strategy. A strong listing plan includes: • Accurate pricing • Professional marketing • Ongoing adjustments based on feedback What I usually suggest: If a home has had limited activity after a few weeks, it’s a good time to step back and evaluate: • Price relative to recent sales • Buyer feedback (if any) • Online performance (views vs. showings) Often, small strategic adjustments can significantly improve activity. — Becky Groe Coldwell Banker Realty