Why is No One Viewing My House? Property Solvers Explore... (2024)

Your house may not be getting many showings because of its over-elevated price.

Of course, you want to earn a good amount from your property, but pushing above the reality of the market is likely to lead to a “stalemate” situation between you and potential buyers.

Many buyers search for homes online and pricing is a significant factor – often being the first thing they notice.

Getting the correct marketing and sale prices and understanding what buyers are willing to pay is therefore key to generating more interest in your property.

Firstly, seek your agent’s advice about the local housing market. Crucially, also look at the sold prices of similar properties nearby – remember to take into account factors such as supply and demand.

Remember, if you’ve increased the asking price beyond the market rate, the listing should clearly explain why your property is better than others in the area.

The price you achieve will often be reflective of its condition.

Although many buyers like to put their own stamp on a home, there’s still an expectation for the property to be reasonably presentable.

You’ll probably be aware that refurbishing houses and flats is certainly not cheap and buyers may well look to factor this into their offers.

Alternatively – if you have the time, energy and resources – it can sometimes make sense to withdraw the property from the estate agent, do the works yourself and put the house back on the market when complete.

However, in many cases, you’ll be surprised how dealing with long overdue maintenance jobs and a deep clean can often make a huge difference.

Clutter, like things you don’t use or too much furniture, creates a mess that hides the nice features of your home.

Too much of it in your home can make it hard to appreciate the potential. It blocks windows, stops natural light from coming in and can make your home feel smaller than it really is.

Clutter also makes it tough to organise your things and arrange furniture nicely. This mess is likely to make the viewing less of a pleasant experience.

Clean and declutter for selling shots. It can be an idea to find alternative storage solutions. Remember to keep the grass and flower beds in good condition for optimal kerbb appeal.

Your estate agent can then retake the photos and update the property portals.

Given that it’s often the first thing prospective buyers will see, low-quality photos on property listings will always have a negative effect. They limit your home’s appeal by not showcasing its features effectively, making it unattractive to online viewers.

Compared to high-resolution images that create an emotional connection, poor-quality images fail to evoke such feelings – making it hard for buyers to connect with your property.

This lack of resonance and limited interest can prolong your property’s time on the market, causing frustration and potentially leading to lower offers (or no viewings at all).

Ask your estate agent to replace amateur photos with good ones.

Make sure the agent is using a decent digital camera and understands what it takes to bring out the most in your property. These days, many decent agents also incorporate video and augmented reality (AR) to enhance their listings.

Arguably less important than photos, buyers that are particularly interested in the property will eventually look for important details like the number of rooms, size, special characteristics, location, amenities and the potential to add value.

What’s more, incomplete property listings can attract the wrong people who waste everyone’s time. Both sellers and buyers get frustrated when enquiries lead nowhere due to needing more information.

Ensure your online property listing is perfectly presented, well-written, accurate and shows off your home’s best features. Remember it’s now compulsory for agents to include information on council tax and energy performance.

Check out some of Property Solvers’ own estate agent listings (Estate Agency in the navigation and then select Property for Sale) to see some good examples.

Hiring a poor estate agent can significantly impact your ability to secure house viewings.

Some of the common characteristics include:

• Lack of Initiative:the estate agent exhibits a passive approach – failing to engage buyers, explore creative marketing avenues or tailor services to your specific requirements. This can often lead to missed opportunities to find the right buyer;
• Limited Market Knowledge: when estate agents lack a deep understanding of the market, they are prone to selling over priced properties that deter buyers. Additionally, a weak agent might not be aware of the subtle persuasion skills to successfully secure a buyer. This often leads to an inability to effectively promote and sell your property in the best way;
• Lack of Follow-Up:this sadly occurs more commonly than you may think. Poor follow-up practices are particularly detrimental as buyers often need timely information and insights to make informed decisions. From a seller’s perspective, without consistent follow-up, the estate agent may struggle to guide you toward a realistic price range for your property – resulting in prolonged market presence.

There is absolutely no point in working with an agent that’s not proactive and doesn’t have your best interests at heart.

Ensure your estate agent keeps you updated on what likely buyers truly think about your property and how much interest it’s getting online. For example, here at Property Solvers, we send out a weekly report showing the number of online views each property we are marketing is getting on the major property portals (namely Rightmove and Zoopla).

Ask a friend to call the agent and pretend to be a potential buyer interested in your property. If the agent doesn’t mention your property, it might be time to switch agents. Your friend could also schedule a viewing to see how much effort the agent puts into selling the property.

If you decide to change estate agents, review your contract to see if there’s a tie-in period. Remember to check the feedback that other sellers have provided about any new estate agent you choose to work with.

In most cases, it’s best to take the property off the market and resolve the situation.

However, if you are in a particular rush, it’s worth considering selling via auction or a sell house quick company like Property Solvers. There are a number of buyers accustomed to purchasing properties with a range of complications.

Some of the most common social media platforms used by estate agents these days include Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and TikTok.

By not leveraging these tools effectively, sellers miss out on reaching a broader and diverse audience.

Make sure your agent is active on at least 2 or 3 social platforms (regularly posting and engaging).

An industry professional – ideally a traditional agent – will also place local ads in newspapers, community boards and relevant events. They should also have their own contact lists of active buyers.

These efforts can help tap into the local market effectively, broaden the reach that your property is getting and increase the chances of a successful sale.

Unlike the stock market, house sales tend to move slower – meaning that often have more time to adapt your selling strategy.

Stay updated on market trends and constantly evaluate the options available to buyers.

A proactive estate agent should also constantly review market activity and provide relevant insights to help maximise the price you achieve at a given moment in time.

Having a unique home can be both good and bad when selling it. On the one hand, its unique features make it different from other houses. However, these unique features might only be liked by some, making it harder to find buyers.

Here are aspects that make your home unconventional and why people might not be coming to see it:

• Architectural Marvels: your house could be an amazing work of architecture with beautiful designs, creative layouts or even a rich history. Whilst these features show the architect’s creativity and might attract buyers who love unique homes, only some prefer such elaborate designs. Most buyers prefer simpler homes, so your unique features might appeal only to a few.
• Unusual Location: your home may be in an unusual location, like on a secluded hilltop, by a lake, in a bustling urban area or the remote countryside. But most potential buyers prefer homes within commutable distance to local; others might seek solitude away from the urban hustle.
• Quirky Features and Layouts: all though some may be put off, others will appreciate out-of-the-box thinking and unique living spaces.
• High-End Amenities:your unconventional home might boast high-end amenities like a spa, wine cellar, smart home technology or custom-designed fixtures. Although these luxurious additions can enhance the living experience, they can also be intimidating for some buyers who need help with the maintenance costs and complexity associated with these features.

First, if your house is out of the ordinary, you will likely have to wait for the ideal buyer. Second, consider what drew you to the house in the first place. There have to be other purchasers out there who are feeling the same way.

Ensure your marketing and advertising plan highlights the property’s unique attributes in a favourable light to appeal to purchasers who would enjoy its charms.

Choosing the right target audience is pivotal in selling a house.

If your estate agent is not strategic in identifying and reaching out to potential buyers genuinely interested in the property, it can lead to a lack of interest and, consequently, no viewings.

Understanding the needs and preferences of the buyer demographic for the particular property, such as families, professionals, or first-time homebuyers is essential. The property might only attract the right audience if the marketing efforts are tailored to appeal to these specific groups.

When there’s a surplus of similar properties for sale, each vying for the attention of a limited pool of buyers, it becomes challenging for any single house to stand out.

Buyers often have numerous options, making them more selective and demanding in their preferences. In such a saturated market, your house might need to be noticed among the multitude of listings, making it difficult to attract viewings.