In a sellers market,you could list the home with my dog, and it would sell...In a market lacking buyers, marketing really means nothing...In a neutral market, a good realtor can make a difference with strategic marketing...at 365 DOM, i can assume the buyers are nowhere to be found,hence,not likley realtors fault..best of luck

Do not pick a friend/relative or suggested friend or relative. Look around you to see what Realtor is listed. Ask those selling how the realtor is treating them A large company may or may not be your best deal. Pick someone who knows your area and is local, and can be reached, and will do the best for you. Research this form, go on line and get a list of questions to ask. After one year, get a 3 month listing. The realtors in your area may already know why you have not sold. Be firm, and ask questions. Accept nothing verbally--everything in writing.

See the link below for questions to ask once you pick..

Everything depends on where you are. Our mistake last year was using an agent that was not local, we now have one but the market is dead.

You need to do research.. what is important for your area? Do you have people coming in from out of state? If so you want someone with a large realtor.com presence. You might want someone that's been selling for a few years or you want someone that's newer and knows online technology. There is no right way to pick an agent.

After what you've been through, you might want someone that will allow you to break contract if you aren't happy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Agent Interview Questions for sellers

You can also do some preparation on your own. Look around. Go to open houses and check out your competition. Realtors can get you *recent* SOLD prices on comps for your home. Depending on how anxious you are to sell, figure out your own 'bottom line' (how little you will take) but don't tell the Realtor that number. List accordingly.

What feedback have you had on the house besides pricing? Is it as clean/decluttered/sparkling as you can make it? Is it available to show at a moment's notice? What do you think it has that every other comp doesn't? Cab you offer a buyer help with closing costs or financing?

Finally, would it be worth it to take the house off the market and wait until the market improves? Could be a couple of years.

Can you post pictures of the house? Even in a bad market which most of us are experiencing right now homes sell if they are inviting and priced right.

Thanks for feedback.
House is vacant. We know that SS appliances and some paint would help but we have already invested in granite, new carpet, etc. to the tune of $12k so would rather negotiate the price down and have buyer choose their own. Another one without finished basement is priced at $349,900 on next cul-de-sac over. Sad situation as former sellers DH committed suicide and set house on fire. At least ours does not have that baggage! Ours is on corner, pretty big lot, great neighborhood. Tax assessor # is $358k and we have it priced at $339,900. Last one to sell was 2 doors down for $387,500 in July. It was larger and traditional 2 story, center hall plan but not a walk-out either.

Feedback is -- house is super-clean; don't like the corner lot; wish basement was walk-out; love that kitchen & great room are not one big room (haven't heard people hate that but guessing they might); everyone likes kitchen & 4 season porch; great condition... Feedback from this forum is to paint the gold bedroom, take down some drapes, replace burgundy carpet. Feedback from SIL friend who is a realtor was to replace entry way tile; all brass knobs & fixtures; paint gold room.

We hesitate to put any more sweat equity or cash into the house, would rather drop price via negotiation as we think starting price is good now. Original realtor priced at $368k. Have dropped about $30k now.

I guess at this point we just hope and remain optimistic. There are certainly worse things in life and we count our blessings but still...

Here is a link that might be useful: My Home for Sale

whenicit I always take flack for this stance, but.....

Why in the world would I come view your home unless it was "exactly" what I was looking for? There are 35 pictures of your house! And a ton are doubles! Why!? There is no mystery. Nothing to be discovered. Nothing to surprise and delight a buyer. You put these pics up before and were advised to change out the ones with the religious ornaments. They need to go! If they are gone, have new pictures taken and replace those (seriously).

As far as replacing the brass... brass is back in higher-end homes. Not sure I'd waste that money swapping them out. I would take down the curtains as you are cutting some of those great windows down.

I like six pictures personally. If you want more, do the front of the house, back of the house, bathrooms, kitchen, fireplace with built-in & that outside shot of your landscaping. Normally a bedroom or two would be nice but because your house is empty it is difficult to get a size of the rooms through a photo. Furniture helps with scale in a photo and in person it doesn't matter.

Unless NOTHING is selling in your market, figure out your carrying costs. Now cut your price below the cost of six-months carrying costs to get it sold. Price below the cheapest house in your price range/area. Chasing the market down is a terrible thing to do.

Have to agree about too many pictures & doubles. I also dislike that they are out of order, you jump all over the house.

The room with the red carpet, I would get rid of that picture unless you can change out the drapes to something that compliments the wall & carpet color better. IIRC Reno had curtains that would look great in that room.

I actually like the white appliances with the light colored wood.. SS is a PITA to take care of from what I read, actually not looking forward to it in our new house if we do close on it. The only other drawback I see with the kitchen is the light colored wood, which is not me so I would pass your house on that alone. I don't do white cabinets either, as I like a warmer feeling kitchen but not too dark.

What is your lot size? I dislike sites that don't include that and unless something is spectacular, will pass it over due to that. Around here it's hard to find a lot over 80 wide.

Nice home. You should check out realty times to see what your area is doing.

"House is vacant."

Works for some buyers, not for most.
See if you can rent some furniture.

"We know that SS appliances and some paint would help"

At least do the paint. Good old builders white.

"Âbut we have already invested in granite, new carpet, etc. to the tune of $12k so would rather negotiate the price down and have buyer choose their own."

How much you spent does not matter.
Advertise lower instead of making the buyers work for it.
Paint rarely pays back except by shortening time on market.

"Another one without finished basement is priced at $349,900 on next cul-de-sac over. Sad situation as former sellers DH committed suicide and set house on fire. At least ours does not have that baggage!"

Since this is even older than July, it does not really matter.

"Ours is on corner, pretty big lot, great neighborhood."

Corner lots have reduced privacy since usually you can see into the back yard from the side street. This is not a bonus for many buyers.

"Tax assessor # is $358k and we have it priced at $339,900."

Tax assessments are rarely indicative of sales prices.

"Last one to sell was 2 doors down for $387,500 in July. It was larger and traditional 2 story, center hall plan but not a walk-out either."

Old sale. The market may have changed.

Interview 3 RE agents and ask for a competitive market analysis from each.
Listen to what they say and pick one.

You are now Âinvesting the mortgage payment each month, with NO chance of recovering it.

Lower the price some more or become a landlord (if a rental market exists in your area).

After looking at your listing, my impressions are:

- The front of the house looks like a great big garage with a little gable and front door attached off to the side. The glimpse of white on the left looks like it might be a garage for the other half of a duplex -- Try other angles or lose that picture altogether.

- The yard pictures are nice and should be near the front of the slide show.

- Your kitchen looks very attractive, but the pictures aren't showing it to it's best advantage. It looks a bit bland and sterile, even though it isn't. Lose the cross, but put in a few other decorative accents to add some interest. Maybe just a centerpiece on the island?

- Photos of empty rooms just don't look great unless there are substantial architectural details. Maybe one with the fireplace and wood-trimmed windows? Lose the rest. The listing says there are other rooms -- have potential buyers see the house!

- The ceiling tiles and red carpet would totally turn me off, so I'd remove those pictures altogether.

- Xamsx's comment about there being "no mystery" left is, IMO, right on target. After seeing that many pictures, I tend to think I've seen enough to 'know' the house, and that there's no need to see the house at all.

Good luck --

Thanks. Gulp. I sent feedback to my realtor so we'll see if he responds. The cross was removed based on prior feedback but remained in the picture. I guess I didn't think about it creeping people out in the picture! LOL.

I also told him to remove double pics, take out pic of red carpet room and gold bedroom (prior feedback), to put pics in some kind of order.

If we renew listing I will tell him I want a new picture of the front that does not emphasize the garage and the kitchen. I may run over there now with some more accessories to spice things up somehow...but that won't be in the pics. Sigh.

Ceiling tiles - I'm stuck with those sort of, I wonder how much it would be to have someone drywall it all.

Thanks.

Remove the windows with valances while you're over there too. Particularly the ones that cut windows off in the middle.

Let's see if I can give you more... Look over the pics I'd take out, then you can send the list to the agent.

House front - take from the other side as was said.. It looks like a really nice house, why did they shoot it from that side, showing a lot of garage? For now, leave it in until you do get another.

I like 6 the fireplace shot but would reshoot w/o cross (didn't even notice it), 7, then 11 - #12 I would reconsider taking with a few props. Can you put a silk tree in the corner and something more on the fireplace?

remove photos 2, 4, 8, 14, shows me an orange room I might have to paint 15 I'm on the fence with, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35

I think 13 is the finished basement? I like # 30's shot of it better as the paint color looks more neutral. Picture #11 can be cropped to not show the ceiling. I wonder if you painted it a different color if it would blend in more? It's a basement, the ceiling wouldn't be a deal breaker.

21 is questionable - I see a toilet, can it be reshot with something on the counter or even a nice basket with potpourri balls?

As Sweeby says, can you dress the kitchen up a little? I was at Ross today, they have a lot of cute stuff. I picked up some neutral dishes, pitcher with roosters on it. I also found a set with roses lol I will be staging my kitchen as well, taking new pics now that we're needing to sell, our house is almost ready. Keep your eyes open, I may be posting for suggestions.

Looking at the photos again, you do have a beautiful house. I think that taking some of the pics away and getting rid of the duplicates, then trying to warm up the few rooms you do show, you might just sell it.

Have to ask, is there any new construction close by that's selling for around the same price? That may be another thing holding up a sale.

HTH

I shouldn't say this but will..

Can you go to maybe JC Penney's pick up a better window treatment for the red room, just for photos, then take them back? While I'm not a red person, I think if you dressed the windows up a little, it will be the room people remember, like Patty Cakes laundry room and Reno's red room. If I have time tomorrow I'll take a look at Penney's site to see if anything jumps out at me.

You can also ask the agent if they have access to some props for pictures. Having pictures of an empty house doesn't work for some people, they can't visualize, especially if they can't tell what room it is. If the agent can label the photos if you can't stage, it may help.

You might also go to the decorating forum and look to see what pictures people have of their kitchens as I know there are a lot of posts there lately. The gallery has a lot of photos posted. This will give you a few ideas on how to pretty up the kitchen to make it more inviting.

I would drop your price again. Obviously you are still higher than what buyers want to pay. Sadly, in this market, you are not going to get what you want money-wise unless you are prepared to wait even longer. I couldn't get your link to work, but agree with others that less is more when it comes to photos. You need just enough to entice someone to look at the house.

Do searches online for listings in your area. Look for your own home's criteria, etc. Keep track of the agents you come across. Where are you finding them? Whose website comes up with different searches related to your area? How user friendly is the site? When coming across photos of particular homes, which are you impressed by? Who are you finding everywhere? Who's got virtual tours and lots of great photos on realtor.com?

This will give you a starting point...from there interview and compare their advertising & marketing plans, last years' sales volume, whom you click with, etc., to choose between them.

A sale comes from a great product, the right price, and buyers being able find it.

Roselvr - you crack me up! The ceilings are 11' in that room so I doubt I'd find anything in the store that would be the right length.

From the collective feedback we are 1) getting a quote for new carpet in the red room 2) getting a quote for paint in the main area of the house (because it is a darker tan and we think a creamier tan may brighten it up) 3) lowering the price. We also think we are switching agents and companies to increase exposure and traffic.

I will see if we have a ladder high enough to take down 1995 curtains in the den or at least the little valance piece that goes between the drapes...

Keep us in your prayers.

I didn't realize they were that high.

Anyway, check this out they aren't hanging them all of the way up. You could get away with doing something like that which would be cheaper then carpet. You could also do something like this in the room with the fireplace to dress that window up a little. I actually found a bunch of curtains that would look great with the carpet. One of my favorites is the Red poppies which are lighter weight. I have these in another color, they're very nice curtains.

2) getting a quote for paint in the main area of the house (because it is a darker tan and we think a creamier tan may brighten it up)

I actually like the color. I wouldn't change it. If you feel you need to do some type of paint, why not an accent wall?

Why not post some of the pics on the decorating forum to see what they say? FWIW, you may end up spending money on paint & carpet and still have it sit. IMO, I would rather spend money on a few accessories as it would be 1) cheaper 2) you might have to do it any way. If you do the accessories 1st, you may get lucky and not have to put the money out on the other stuff.

You have a beautiful house. With a few things to catch the person's interest, you just may sell it.

Roselvr - I appreciate your time, effort & feedback. What I can't get over is why I would 'decorate' an empty house. Although it does not show in the pics (because I did this afterwards) I do have some items in the kitchen and the great room plus towels & stuff in the bathrooms.

I think I am going to toss the paint idea but at least we'll get the quote and that will let us decide.

We are competing against new or 3-4 year old houses and I think that is more of a problem, although we have more sq. ft. and the finished basement and others do not...

I will take a look at more accessories as I have some I am not using here at my new house (plants, candlesticks, floor lamps...etc.)

I wouldn't "decorate" an empty house either. If you are selling empty, sell empty. Don't try an accessorize an empty house beyond hand towels and toilet paper in one bathroom (you'll save cleaning this way).

I think people are trying get your house to look warmer in the pictures, but that can be accomplished with better photos and picking and choosing the "right" ones. Hire a professional photographer to do it if you don't feel your Realtor can. It will be a better investment than painting a room.

But all the fixing, painting, doodads and good pics will not mean a thing if your Realtor doesn't take down your current pictures and replace them with good photos.

Agreeing with Xamsx again...
Unless you're getting lots of showings.
If you're NOT getting the showings, I'm betting it's a 'stale' listing with sub-optimal photos, and a few weeks off the market and a new listing with new photos will really help.
If you are getting lots of showings but no offers, then look closer at paint and pricing.

Have you considered dropping the traditional realtor and using a flat-fee MLS service if one is available to you? This is more work on your part, but the two strong benefits are that you have some control over what's going on, and you can save money.

We recently sold our home after some 90 DOM. Listed with a flat-fee from day one, we had plenty of showings but no offers. I kept on top of the visits, calling each realtor back for feedback (some were helpful, some not). Using feedback, we made minor tweaks. We staged the home ourselves, using (selectively) ideas from GW and other sources.

But your real feedback may come from friends and family who actually see the house and visit it. One such told us to wash the roof and get a virtual tour (with ~60 pictures). We did so, spending $500 in total, all along wondering if it was money wasted. Two weeks later, offer in hand (which closed, btw) we didn't wonder any more.

I don't want to oversimplify things. Different things will work for different people and different homes, and sometimes you don't know just what DOES work... maybe it's just dumb luck. But... IF you can stay on top of it, have reasonable physical access to the house (we moved only 8 miles away), and don't mind doing the work, you at least KNOW what is being done. It's the same sort of reason why I learned to change the oil in my own car, after two experiences where the "new" oil was black, and I paid for synthetic and couldn't be sure what was in there (yes, two different places). As the old adage goes, "if you want it done right, do it yourself". Of course this can't apply to everything in life, but what real value does a listing realtor bring besides putting your home on FMLS? Can they convert a looker to a buyer? Can they bring in buyers when none exist? Some might think so, but let's see the proof. Advice? It's available for free, as you can see. I know that sometimes a selling realtor can talk her buyer into buying a specific home, but is the reason for the buyer's benefit or the realtor's? Is the realtor tired of showing them homes and starts to lean on one that seems just ok? Is it the 4% commish on that home? Remember, NO ONE wants your success the way you do. Watch warily over everyone else, even those that seem to have no benefit one way or another.

My buyer told me he had tried contacting the listing agent for the home for sale next to mine. Very similar, same builder, close in price. The agent failed to return two calls from him, so he figured they weren't that interested. But when he called my flat-fee agent, who contacted us immediately, we got back to him in 30 minutes and were showing the home the next day. That other home is still on the market, with DOM in triple digits. The poor sap of an owner probably has no idea, unless his new neighbor tips him off!

I figure many will rebut my comments, no problem... I am saying what I think and all are of course free to do likewise. But this thread is not about any of us or our opinions... it's about YOUR home, YOUR money, YOUR time. Sit down and think long and hard about what has happened so far and what you'd like to see happen, and to what extent you can influence it. To what extent can others influence it? How can you help them to influence it? Think and act, and be selective about which advice you follow (including this one!)

Roselvr - I appreciate your time, effort & feedback. What I can't get over is why I would 'decorate' an empty house. Although it does not show in the pics (because I did this afterwards) I do have some items in the kitchen and the great room plus towels & stuff in the bathrooms.

I think I am going to toss the paint idea but at least we'll get the quote and that will let us decide.

We are competing against new or 3-4 year old houses and I think that is more of a problem, although we have more sq. ft. and the finished basement and others do not...

I will take a look at more accessories as I have some I am not using here at my new house (plants, candlesticks, floor lamps...etc.)

Why? For the new photos to catch someone's eye. Right now it's a little bland, and I feel that if you dressed up the windows a little, warmed up the kitchen & brick fireplace, someone might actually look at the photos and want to see the house. You've tried selling an empty house for how long? What has that gotten you?

There's another post buried from spring or summer, lady was also selling an empty house. She dressed up the windows, added a few things, took new pictures & I'm pretty sure she sold it.

If I have time I'll see if I can find the post. She had a breakfast nook off of the kitchen with 6 or so windows, don't recall what else.

"I think I am going to toss the paint idea but at least we'll get the quote and that will let us decide."

Are you already out of the area?
Painting is not a lot of work.

Painting has always been (and still is) a great way to spruce up and hasten a sale.
Compared to carrying costs paint is cheap

Or you can keep making mortgage payments on a house that is just sucking up money...

Hello,
I noticed you were with a company in an urban area. I will bet there are a LOT of staging companies that you can hire fairly inexpensively to come in and stage the house. It makes a BIG difference from the inside and the outside of the house. You also don't have to spend much money or hire someone to do the house. The thought is to make people #1 want to go in and see more, #2 when they are in there to be able to imagine themselves there.

I know that in your market area there is a LOT of inventory on the market. You want your house to stand out and for the right reasons. When any potential buyers tour your home, at the end of a long day of looking at properties, you want them to remember your house out of all the others. Most people after seeing more then three houses in a day start blurring there memories of them together.

There has been lots of good advice on previous posts especially about the pictures, amount,quality ect. Any store bought inexpensive curtains can easily have fabric added to the bottom or top to make them work.

Your yard is lovely, showcase it. Your agent is supposed to be representing you. Tell them to get there butt out there and redo those pics. You hired them to provide a service to you now you must tell them what you expect. If they can't or won't provide fundamental marketing advice and service then I would move on. There are a lot of excellent realtors out there who can and will give you the best of their experiance and advice, most importantly what is happening in your local market, comps, latest sales, dom,ect and how they think you can get your home sold. Being proactive and an empowered consumer will help you through the process.

Thanks to all-
Staging - quoted $300/month.
Carpet - changed out red room to beige today
Paint - are re-painting majority of rooms, Monday
Realtor - switched, today
Price - lowered again - $319,500
Appliances - decided to leave as-is
Problem #1 - about 1 house/month is selling in this price range per new realtor's data.
Problem #2 - houses that are selling are brand new; smaller, but they got the brand new sexy factor going for them.
Problem #3 - it's like 4 degrees here today which is not all that related but it is still discouraging

Postive #1 - we still have each other
Positive #2 - we aren't in foreclosure or close to it
Positive #3 - we are learning a lot about real estate
Positive #4 - spring is coming!!!!

Thanks to all for your help and I'll start a new thread when I have a question like "Should we accept this offer?" and you'll all get to say "Gee Whenicit - DUH!"

Bye for now