Of course people still purchase traditional style homes! There has been a bit of a backlash against the noise and activity levels of open living and you are seeing some "semi-open" style homes and even "closed kitchen" homes being constructed in the custom world these days. However, most people DO still at this time expect an open concept in a newish home, and fighting against what 80% of your area expect is a losing battle that only a good price will cure.

I hear some issues in your post though that need to be clarified for the buyer. When you say you are "part" of this desirable neighborhood but aren't on the same street, that doesn't sound quite right. Are you officially part of that neighborhood plot, or is that just the nearest recognizable neighborhood to list your home as being a part of? Or are you trying to take advantage of the desirability of the "name" neighborhood and aren't really a part of it at all?

You say you have 4 acres. Are the other adjacent homes on similar acreage? Or are they on smaller lots? Often times people on large acreage feel their homes should be worth substantially more than homes on lesser acreage, and that often simply isn't true unless the home is in a completely different "estate" category than the smaller lot homes. People these days view acreage more as a liability to be maintained rather than a desirable feature. Unless there are special zoning features that come with that acreage like it's earmarked for horses.

35 days with low inventory on the market can say your home is overpriced. Or it can say that your price category takes longer to sell. I'd suspect overpriced. Well priced homes in almost every price category are being snapped up quickly now in most parts of the country. How did you figure out what your listing price should be? What has closed in your actual neighborhood? And yes, short sales and foreclosures do count in determining price.

We are officially part of the neighborhood, I have my HOA bill to prove it. ;)

We have the largest lot in the neighborhood, but only by about .74 acres. We also paid a $30K premium for this wooded and private lot.

Another house in the neighborhood was only up for 9 days and has already been sold. It was priced WAY below market value at $750K. I interviewed several agents who all agreed where our price should be and that's where it is--which is around $775. The feedback we are getting from all agents is that our house is priced correctly.

People love my kitchen, they love the home theater...they just hate the closed concept and "choppy" feeling from the house.

It will sell, just will take longer than you want. As you stated, you can't change the layout and you can't change the location.
Maybe it needs to be described differently. You want a buyer who values privacy. I think this is what needs to be highlighted.

Ellendi, THIS is exactly what I was just telling my DH. I agree with you. I also told my realtor this.

I hate open plans because they are too noisy. I am even planning on building a new home that IS NOT an open plan except to have the den open to the kitchen.

I even know of a a family of 5 locally who lived in an open style home and couldn't wait to move bc of the noise level! They ended up looking at older traditional center hall colonials for that reason.

Don't get discouraged, 35 days is not a long time in this market especially for homes that are priced in your price range. In our area homes that are above 400K tend to be on the market longer.

I would emphasis your private lot, as well. It sounds like a lovely home.

When selling, you just have to wait for the right buyer--the one who falls in love with your house--and that buyer is out there.

What you want to do at this point, is to make sure your agent is promoting your house so that the right buyer finds it. Are you having open houses? Our 2nd open house sold ours--within 5 weeks of listing it). Is your agent using targetted Facebook ads to make sure the RIGHT people are seeing your home? Are the photos as appealing as possible? (if not, ask that they be retaken). Is the agent promoting not only your home, but the advantages of the neighborhood surrounding it?

Really, the right agent and right promotion makes all the difference. We found that when we sold our home last year. Ours did all the things I've mentioned. If yours isn't--encourage them to do more. And if/when this listing runs out, get an agent who is young, hungry and enthusiastic--and knows how to make the internet work for you! Good luck.

I would never live in a true open concept house... hate them myself. I love a distinct dining room and formal living room, and I love rooms to look/feel/act like traditional rooms. And the noise level in an open concept house... not for me.

"choppy" feeling - could you elaborate? Is that how defined rooms were described? Or is your floor-plan odd or doesn't flow?

We have defined rooms in our house, and there isn't a "choppy" feeling at all... each room flows to the next, but they all are private, have doors (except for the kitchen that flows into the family room and that is open, no door) that can be opened or closed as their use determines.

As others have stated, 35 days isn't "that long" and the feedback you are getting is relevant, if not necessarily what you want to hear. I've sold homes where we got very positive feedback but always a consistent "too close to neighbor behind the house" feedback and short of rapid-growing a 20 foot tree, that's not fixable.

As azzalea said above, you just haven't had the "right" buyer yet. That said, if you go another 2-3 showings and STILL haven't had an offer, then your price is NOT right, no matter what your realtor is saying.

A slight price drop also pops you to the top of the search list in many online databases. Its also a trigger that you are motivated as a seller, often attracting buyers that had their max price just under where you were previously listed. When I've not been in a hurry to buy a home, I'll often target homes just over my price range and then make my offer the moment the seller drops their price rather than spend the effort low-balling an offer. It feels "better" to me that way, as I know they are already motivated, than to be the first guy to low-ball an otherwise overpriced property.

I'm going to say something that may ruffle a few feathers, but I think that the value you get from your REA in marketing your home these days is somewhat irrelevant. A qualified, motivated buyer is going to be hammering the real estate portal of their choice and really maxxing the power of database searches to find their next home purchase. That means that you have to do things to get their attention online more than ever. That means you've got to have stellar pictures that show off the property, information that screams "Oooo, we need to see THAT one," and a price that doesn't get you filtered out of the search results. And remember that with extremely low interest rates, you may not be trolling the same buying pool you once were. Many people can trade-up in home price now thanks to mortgage rates that are half of what they were just a few years ago.

One last thing. Not sure where you are, but wooded lots in the winter months don't always help sell prospective buyers. They can, in fact, look downright dreary. You can play to this by ensuring your curb appeal is bright and cheery, upgrade your bulbs to LED's to get brighter rooms that look more cheery (at least for the pictures), etc. This may not apply to you where you live, but I've seen this countless times. It really makes pictures harder as well as "privacy" borders on "haunted mansion theme" with nothing but dormant, brown trees.

This post was edited by Tony2Toes on Mon, Apr 1, 13 at 15:53

Really appreciate all of the positive feedback I've gotten. I would love to share my MLS listing, but I'm apprehensive to do so due to privacy concerns. However, I'm pretty picky and I promise my pictures are awesome and they show my house really well.

Our house flows really nicely, and we have a drop down family room. It's a great house. Everyone I've spoken to has said the same thing: I'm surprised your house hasn't sold yet.

I've given up hope in my REA. She doesn't seem interested in doing things that could help us--like a broker's open, or even getting back to me.

I guess this is just a waiting game...

Do you consider the drop down family room a good thing? I think that is a matter of preference, and if you consider safety, would be a negative.

Make sure you aren't over-valuing things that are your house. I've heard several things that make me concerned in your posts that you overvalue things about your house. A price reduction may be in order.

Your post reminds me somewhat of the house we sold a couple of years ago. It was about 4500 SF on about 3 acres and the negative comments were mostly about layout. The rooms were a bit choppy and it wasn't an open concept. We did a lot to get it ready to sell and staged it, had professional photos, etc.

We wanted to sell quickly, told our realtor we wanted to maximize fast sell and not price and followed their advice on pricing. Early on we had tons of showing and had some second lookers.

We soon realized our price was too high to sell quickly, we reduced our price still no action. After 6 months we took it off the market for a few months, switched agents, and put it back on at a price that was well below our original price. When we put it back on the market we had an offer within a couple of days from someone looking at it the first day we had showings.

When you have a house that has a layout that isn't commonly liked, then lowering price will help. In our case, when we relisted the house we reduced the house to the price bracket below then one we had been in. Our house went from being not all that desirable in the original bracket (due primarily to layout) to being great for the lower priced bracket since it has a much nicer house in many ways that most of the houses in that lower bracket.

When we relisted the house I asked the agents we interviewed two questions. What should we list it at? Both said at the same price we had it listed at when we had taken it off the market.

What should I list it at if I really want to sell it within 3 months? Both gave a price well below the above price which was the top price in the next bracket below.

Both agents believed we would eventually get a contract if we kept it at the higher price but it could well take awhile. We didn't want to wait another 6 months or a year and the carrying costs of the house were high so we ended up pricing it at the lower price. We were never sorry that we did it.

Some people are willing to wait a long time for their buyer who will pay their price. I look at it from an economic point of view and not emotionally. In my case I looked at what it would cost me to wait for that higher price buyer versus selling faster with lower price. It was overall better for us economically to list with the lower price given our carrying costs to own that house for, say, 6 months.

I agree--I know a price reduction is necessary. Believe me.

We had a price drop already. How many times and how often should one drop the price?

Hi Eden-Manor. I don't really have much to add except to say that I, too, hate "open concept" floorplans. Too noisy! I think your place sounds lovely! Good luck!

How many houses in your price range are selling per month in your area (extend this beyond your neighborhood--include ones in similar neighborhoods)?

How many months do you want to live here?

If, in your price range, you are only seeing 1 or 2 sell per month, then you'll probably need to drop to another price range if you want to sell in the next month or 2.

If 30 homes are selling in your range per month, you just need to wait for the next buyer, I would guess.

Even if the floor plan is not open it should not normally be considered "choppy". Could it be that furniture arrangement or decor is contributing to a lack of continuity? Are the rooms dark, or do they contrast too much with eachother?

If you would like to post some pics, perhaps on the home decor forum, you might get feedback on this. It seems like a consistent and serious complaint from viewers.

I don't think rushing to drop the price right away is a good idea, but if a similar home in your neighborhood just sold for $25k less that's difficult to overcome. A larger lot is not necessarily valued at $25k + even if you paid that when you purchased the home.

The other house didn't show well: Very dark, no deck, a pond that caused sump pump to run 24/7.

We have maintenance free deck, a home theater, tons of light. Big rooms. I also have a fully renovated kitchen with a Wolf Stove, brand new Kitchen Aid 36" architectural built in fridge, and new KA dishwasher. Soapstone too--which no one knows what it is! We also have 2.5 acres fenced in. Oh and Hunter Douglas wood blinds and plantation shutters in every room.

I see so much more value in my home vs the comparable one that sold because we have all of those extras. I have a hard time lowering my price with all of these extras. Be honest: Are they not worth anything?

Their value has nothing to do with what you spent on them and everything to do with what houses sell for in your neighborhood.

It is possible you have over-improved (overspent on) your home for the type of home you have in your neighborhood.

Only you/your REA can tell you that. Or, if you'll post up a few pics, we might be able to help comment too. (even if you are concerned with privacy, you can post pictures without posting your MLS listing).

Not a single one of the "extra" items you mentioned will really add to the appraised value of the home. The only exception might be the fence and the extra property. Even the extra property will not add much value as others have stated. BTW--wood blinds and shutters will definitely not add value.

Those are the kinds of things that may help you show and sell your house, if someone wants those upgrades, but they don't necessarily add value. Those are the things that help limit buyer "objections" to a house.

Your extras are valuable to YOU, plus perhaps another buyer that shares YOUR exact tastes in brands, designs, colors, etc. But to an appraiser or John Doe, your upgrades may have little to zero value.....even negative value depending on situation.

Look, your home sounds elegant and tasteful when you describe it. You are getting showings, so it's likely others think so also. But nice features don't always translate into higher value versus the comps in your area, especially true for custom homes on custom lots.

Ultimately, it ALWAYS comes down to your price versus a buyers perceived value. You can lower your price and simultaneously increase the perceived value via the "Wow what a cream puff of a house!" or you can focus on finding buyers just like you and hold your line on price. The former and you will sell faster is my bet. The latter.....hard to say until/unless you find a buyer, qualified and motivated, who finds your house.

Thank you all so very much for this positive and covstructive feedback. I appreciate everyone being so civil too.

I might get brave and post photos later today. :)

Are all these pluses appropriately highlighted in your listing, e.g. for the discerning buyer who appreciates privacy, a chef's kitchen, custom detailing to the highest quality, high end finishes, designer touches, blabla? Then list them (Wolf oven, etc.). Also, is your house set up so that it's advantages are obvious? If you have a private deck, make it obvious with appropriate outdoor furniture. If you have a room to which you can close the door, set it us a study or reading room or music room or (meditation room if that would fly in your neighborhood).

How much and how often to lower price is difficult to know. When we first listed our house we lowered it slowly over a period of months. We really didn't get anywhere with it, though, until we relisted the house at a lower price bracket. Our new agent's viewpoint, FWIW, was that lowering price within the price search bracket doesn't do a whole lot for you. He felt that we would get more benefit by lowering price into a different bracket where we would get different people finding the house. That is, if the search bracket is say $500k to $550k and a seller was at $545k, the seller might get more benefit lowering to the bracket just under $500k rather than lowering to $505k. Someone who isn't looking above $500k won't find the house at $505k but would find it at $499k.

Having lived in the Midwest, east coast and now the west coast, I have seen what carpet choices do to make a house less choppy. Here on the west coast, the carpet is usually the same throughout the entire house, which makes the home seem more open and larger. When wood flooring is used in some parts of the house, the carpet is the same in the separate rooms, especially if they can be seen from any other part of the house.

Sounds like you're in Texas or a southern state where the market is better than average. Do you know the DOM in your price range?

You need to take the DOM into consideration then add more time due to open-plans being more popular. If you are priced right and your house shows well, patience is all you have left.

I have hardwoods throughout on the main level and on the upper level I have hardwood stairs and hall and carpeted bedrooms. In the basement we have brand new carpet that is shaggy, (I don't know the correct term, but it's neutral and fluffy and nice).

I'm in the mid-Atlantic tri-state: DC/MD/VA.

I'm worried about dropping our price $15-20K; that's a HUGE price reduction. It's so hard to know what to do when the "experts" don't really know either.

A $15k drop on a $775k home is not huge...it's only 2%. Yes, it's real money, but it's not "real" unless someone is willing to pay it.

Try this.....look at area comps again, but this time compare your $ per square foot to those comps sold, and then look at their selling price relative to their asking price.

Not saying you need to drop your price (yet) but its best to have a Plan B and you should arm yourself with the facts. Remember that buyers are warned against becoming emotionally attached to homes, but sellers should do likewise and detach themselves from the home as well. Keeps things easier.

Yes, I'm sensing a bit of over attachment to your improvements and a lack of objectivity as to what they do for your selling price. In the TV world, every dollar that you spend on a home, you add to it's price. So, if you took a 600K house and did a 100K kitchen remodel, HGTV would have the house "worth" 700K. Nothing could be further from the truth! Yes, you'll get a bump in price from a fresh new kitchen, but no where near 100K. Especially if that 100K is still attached to a 1954 postwar bungalow with tiny rooms and a partially finished basement. Or an odd and unpopular floor plan (step down family room and closed off spaces).

You are not ever going to "home improve" your way out of your neighborhood's price bracket because your home is still located in your neighborhood! Outstanding features of your home make your home harder to sell in many ways if you are at the top bracket in the neighborhood.

If you have a layout of your home, post that. (If you don't, you should consider drawing one up to include in your MLS.) And post a few pictures. But, most of all, do your number research on closed sales. They will tell the real tale.

BTW, if your home is on the MLS, it's already much more public than you might find comfortable. That's the whole point of the MLS. Exposure to millions is possible.

"BTW, if your home is on the MLS, it's already much more public than you might find comfortable. That's the whole point of the MLS. Exposure to millions is possible."

Absolutely true!

One of the first things I'll do when running research on a property is go hit the county website and dial in the address. From there, I see the owners name (current and past), as well as a sketch of the floorplan from the tax appraisal. Then I'll use other search engines to find as much out about the owner as possible....age, family, empty-nesters/retiree's, whether or not they have had pets in the home, sometimes even their social networking/photo storage spaces online. Sounds creepy? Maybe, but I'm using the data to get a picture of who I'm negotiating with and how the house has been used.

More than once I've found that they had a family member that died in the house. I'm not turned off by a natural death, but at least once I discovered that the owners had a teenage son that committed suicide by hanging himself on the basement rafters. That wasn't disclosed, obviously, and also was why the owners were looking for a quick sale with a deep discount.

Point is, the moment your address hits the MLS, you are an open book to anyone with internet access. So kiss your privacy goodbye.