Ever wonder why your Gulf Shores home isn't selling and others around you are snapped up in a matter of days from the time they go on the market?
While a lot of it has to do with price and local inventory, a whole host of factors can combine to make a home sit and stagnate on the multiple listing service without showings or offers.
Maybe your house is not painted purple, but the longer your Gulf Shores home sits on the market, the more it gets stigmatized. People start to ask, "What's wrong with that house?" and "Why hasn't it sold?" Here are some possible reasons:
Your Gulf Shores Home is Priced Too High
Pricing your Gulf Shores home too high is the main reason a home just sits. Many sellers have unrealistic ideas about what their home can bring, others simply can't afford to take anything less because they are underwater on their loan.
It's always price for condition or price for location. That's one of the main reasons a Gulf Shores home will just sit and stagnate.
Your Gulf Shores Home Is Dated
Everybody's taste is different, so less is more when it comes to decor at sale time. Loud patterns and bold colors can be big distractions. Other buyer turnoffs include time-capsule interior treatments such as mirrored walls, cheap wood paneling and 1970s kitchens.
Your Gulf Shores Home Is In Poor Condition
If a home looks as if it's going to cost half as much to repair or renovate as it does to purchase, it's going to take a long time to move. Buyers are a lot more reluctant to take on a project, especially if there are houses around it that don't need as much work.
The same goes for strong odors in the home, such as pets or mold. Either fix it or chop the asking price to accommodate for someone else fixing the problem.
Your Gulf Shores Home Suffers From Bad Design
With some homes, it's a strange or inefficient floor plan that may be killing the sale. Cosmetic things like old linoleum floors or a rough interior can be easily fixed. If you have to walk through one bedroom to get to another one, that may qualify as functional obsolescence.
Your Gulf Shores Home May Be in a Bad Location
You've heard it a million times when it comes to real estate: It's all about the location, location, location. There's not much you can do when your location includes overhead high tension power lines, or you're close to a power plant or waste-treatment facility. If your location just comes down to the neighbors not keeping up their property, you may have some recourse if your Gulf Shores home is part of a homeowner's association that oversees the neighborhood and takes action if owners allow their properties to become run down.
These are just a few of the many reasons your Gulf Shores home may be sitting on the market and not selling. If any of these things are things you can do something about, now is the time to take action to correct what you can.
For more tips on selling your Gulf Shores home, see our section on Gulf Shores Home Selling Tips to your right under Gulf Shores Real Estate Categories.