What If My House Isn't Getting Offers?

Find the reason before you change anything. Plenty of showings with no offers usually points to the price or the condition. Very few showings usually points to the price or the photos. Once you know which one it is, the next step is much clearer.

I am Delia Bayna, a REALTOR with eXp Realty in Salt Lake City, Utah. When a house is not getting offers, I tell my seller why I think that is, and we decide what to do about it together.

A house that is not getting offers is sending a message. The work is reading it correctly. Three patterns come up most:

• Few or no showings. Buyers see the listing online and do not come. The price may look high for what the photos show, or the photos may not do the house justice.
• Lots of showings, no offers. Buyers like the listing enough to visit, and then something in person does not match. That can be condition, layout, a smell, a busy street, or a price that felt fair online and high in person.
• Offers that fall apart. Buyers make offers and then back out, often after the inspection. That usually points to condition.

Feedback from buyers' agents helps, when they give it. So does knowing what sold near you while your home was listed, and what those homes had that yours does not. In Utah, sale prices are not public, so ask your agent to pull those sales from the MLS for you.

Price is the hardest reason to hear. Sellers have told me, "I do not want to reduce the price. I want this set price for my home." I understand. Often it is not really about the number. It is about everything that happened inside that house.

Buyers do not see those years, though. They compare your house to the other homes they can buy this month. If buyers keep choosing other houses, the price is usually part of the reason.

When a price change makes sense, I would rather make one clear change than several small ones. Small cuts spread over weeks can teach buyers to wait for the next one. I go through the numbers with you first, including what a new price would mean for what you walk away with, and the decision is yours.

Some problems cost less to fix than a price cut. Fresh paint, a deep clean, brighter bulbs, or moving out some furniture can change how a house feels in person. New photos can help a listing that looks dark or crowded online.

Older Salt Lake City homes have their own list. Buyers notice a damp smell in the basement, leaves packed in the window wells, or a furnace near the end of its life. If several buyers mention the same thing, it is worth a look. My post on selling as-is or fixing first helps sort out which repairs pay you back.

Where a home will benefit from it, I bring in a professional stager and pay for it upfront. I am reimbursed at closing, so it does not come out of your moving budget.

Sometimes the price is fine and the terms are the problem. Terms are everything in a sale besides the price, like the closing date, what stays with the house, and how much time the buyer has for inspections.

A seller who needs a long wait before closing may lose buyers who have to move sooner. A seller who will not bend on anything can lose a buyer over something small. Being flexible on one or two terms can bring buyers back without touching the price.

If having nowhere to go is the reason you need a long closing, read how to buy and sell at the same time. There may be a way to give buyers the timing they want and still have a place to land.

Look at the facts before you change anything. Count the showings, read the feedback, and have your agent compare your home to what sold nearby while you were listed. Then make one change at a time, on purpose, and give it time to work.

I call and email every seller every Friday, whether there is news or not. When a house is quiet, the Friday call is where we look at what is happening and decide what comes next. I taught for eighteen years, and I still explain the why before I suggest the what. I will tell you what I see and what I would do. It is your call, and I will support it either way.

If your home is listed with another agent right now, start with them, and ask them these same questions. If you have not listed yet, the best protection is a price set right from the start, which I explain in how I decide what to list a home for. See the rest of my approach on selling a home in Salt Lake City.

Why is my house not getting any offers?

Usually it is the price, the condition, the photos, or the terms. How many showings you are getting, and what buyers say, tells you which one to look at first.

Should I lower my asking price?

Maybe. Check the showings, the feedback, and recent nearby sales first, which your agent can pull from the MLS. If a change makes sense, one clear change usually works better than several small ones.

How long should I wait before changing something?

There is no set rule. Give each change long enough for a fresh round of showings, so you can see whether it worked.

Can I change the terms instead of the price?

Sometimes. A more flexible closing date, or leaving certain items with the house, can bring buyers back. Talk through any contract change with your agent before you make it.

This article is general information and is not legal advice. For questions about contract terms, talk to a Utah real estate attorney.