Well, I just looked at the listing on realtor so I could easily see the rooms. I think your home is great and I really don't know what to suggest as it is tastefully done. The only thing that I think might help is to paint some of it much lighter and brighter -for instance the family room built ins and maybe some of the other deep paint colors. I think the deep colors particularly in the kitchen, look great with the white trim, but I wonder if that bothers people?

Really your home is so nicely done and up to date, I am baffled. I can't speak to the price because I am not familiar but that is likely the only other issue?

So , maybe lighten some rooms, and think about pricing?

I have seen that the market has really come down from last year, when we sold in a different area. It was a crazy hot market and now I see homes sitting and getting reduced in very hot areas as well.

I will be curious to see the other replies.

You have a beautiful home!

I am not a real estate professional, but a good friend of mine is, and we talk about real estate all the time because it's a topic I like. I'm always following things in my area.

My friend always says that if a house doesn't sell, it's priced too high. And Lawrence is correct - if the majority of homes in your area have a first floor master, there's the answer. You said the other houses sold for "around 700K", well, your house is priced "around" 700K already. Not knowing anything about your area, I would think you need to lower it to around $650K.

And something else - at least in my area, the empty nesters tend to downsize, not upsize. I do know one couple that upsized, but that's because the mom is going to move in with them. They too bought a home with a first floor master suite. The homes in my area range anywhere from 2500 sq ft to 5000+ sq ft. When the kids move out, the people I know are looking to go down to 2000 sq ft or less.

As far as your original question about staging, I don't see anything that is a deal breaker. I personally would not be thrilled with the entire blue wall where even the fireplace is blue but that wouldn't prevent me from buying your house.

And not that this is a huge deal, but you have a lot of large rugs. Show off those hardwood floors! I would remove the rug from under the dining room table. I would also remove the rug from the bathroom and put a smaller rug or two in front of the sink. I don't particularly like runners in the kitchen so I would remove that one as well. Showing the floors more will also give the illusion of larger rooms (which you don't necessarily need because your house is a good size, but hey, you're looking for opinions :) ).

Edit - so I looked a bit further and it looks like you bought the house in 2016 for $540K. And you're listing it 3 years later for $140K more. What have you done in those 3 years that warrants that kind of price increase? You need to put ALL the updates you've done to justify that price in your listing. From what I've read, unless I'm missing something, Master, half bath remodeled and new roof is not enough (IMO) to justify that price increase.

LOVE your house!

It's so much bigger than I thought at first glance.

My SIL lives in the Laguna Niguel area and has the exact same circumstance as you.

Lowering the $$ hasn't helped and her home has the best view.

The majority of people attending any open house are senior citizens.

They put the kibosh on her house once they realize the master bedroom/stairs, etc.

She is now contemplating some type of lift/elevator but for now has decided to hold on to this property.

Yes, anything priced low enough will eventually sell, but since you're not under duress or anything.

Maybe you can rent? Or airbnb?

Good luck!

I took a look at Zillow and here are my first thoughts (keep in mind I am not a decorator).

-Whole house is too country looking.

- I'd remove most of the rugs all of the tchotchkies, dolls, wreaths from the doors, and artwork. Totally de-personalize the space.

-If you can I would go buy white duvets and change all the bed linens to white. Accent pillows and throws in either gray or white. Try to make it look like a nice hotel

-white towels in the bathrooms.

-If you can afford it or know how to paint, I would change the paint colors to a nice bright white or some shade of a neutral gray (popular gray) but stay away from the blue looking grays. All walls the same color throughout the house.

This room should just be the couch, coffee table, and white curtain...maybe the side chair and art behind the chair. Make things look sparse, clean, and brighter.

This space needs the desk, chair, and lamp only

Out with the furniture, pictures, area rug. This room would also look great with white walls and white towels. If you can swing it; white curtains too.

Way too much on the desk. I'd keep the chair, computer, a few books scattered around the shelves.

Again, I'm not a decorator. I think your home is lovely but it has your style. You need to try to get it to appeal to the masses. Just think clean, bright, sparse.

It comes down to price, if you want to sell then lower it.. if not keep it and see what happens. It seems maybe the property would be an issue for some as the home behind it can see right in, it's a small lot in comparison, etc. Most in the surrounding area/community (I google mapped it) seem to back up to trees and seem more private.

If not under duress consider pulling it off market until market picks up and let realtor know you would be happy to consider pocket offers (not listed but willing to sell) DOM and reductions bring in the low ballers. Consider installing the elevator vs a reduction as well - i would price them out to you can provide a potential buyer with the estimate to do it

Staging is NOT the issue. perhaps, for whatever reason, the market has slowed in your area. How are the schools? Considered excellent? Since I don’t believe your home will appeal to many “empty nesters” (due to size & 2d floor bedrooms ) your target would appear to be families with children. Any house will sell if priced appropriately.

So all of you that say the staging isn't the issue I respectfully disagree. I am a home buyer and I would have issues with some of the things in her house.

Also a TON of people can't see past paint colors; that is why I suggested one color paint in ALL rooms of the house preferably a white or gray.

Buyers need a more neutral looking house so they can picture THEIR things in it. If someone that has more modern tastes walks into the house with the cute country look, they may have a hard time picturing their stuff in her space and discount the house all together (even if it's a good price).

Maybe you need a different realtor. We had a house in Calgary hired a friends realtor all he could suggest was we wanted to much money so his first step was to lower the price nothing happened we hardly even had showings so at the end of the 3 month listing we decided to wait. The next year hired a new realtor who understood the area better and the house sold in 11 days the price had actully gone up from the initial listing and the house sold for above asking. I can’t see anything you could really fix to make it better or just pull it for awhile as mentioned above.

Patricia Colwell... a year in between? The right realtor can make a difference but most likely it was a totally different market from when it was on at first.

Have you had an open house?

Melissa - besides the blue fireplace wall, I think most of the OP's colors are pretty neutral. It's not like she has bright fuchsia paint everywhere. I think it's very tastefully painted and not something that absolutely needs to be changed (just IMO of course!)

If the first floor master is the issue, perhaps bring in a pro to design and draw out the possible elevator. If you have the specs and a price, you can offer the cost as an incentive and the actual drawings will help those who can’t envision the concept on their own.

I think your pool of buyers are narrow. Empty nesters want a 1st floor master so that is a deal breaker for them. Your in a HOA which is a deal breaker for another group of buyers. Then your over an hour away from a major city for employment, yet another deal breaker. And since your neighborhood is mostly empty nesters some families with kids want other families with kids nearby . Another deal breaker. Then you got possible negative or positive variables like schools, proximity to shopping, entertainment, and amenities , is $700, 000 the median price for most buyers or on the high end, HOA fees and rules , and tax rate. You might just have a smaller pool of buyers for your home and it will take longer to find that right buyer.

Beautiful home! The staging is great. I think it's the price and master bedroom issue. Also, listing in June is kind of late in the market, and now you're approaching September and things are only going to slow down more.

I would take it off the market and relist in February, right before the market picks up in March. Also, before you list, have your realtor start contacting other realtors to tell them about "a hot property coming soon, don't want to miss out, will sell fast" to create a buzz of interest. No one likes missing out on a good deal! Also, rewrite the description with LESS abbreviations, if any at all! Fab, chic, Hrdwd flrs, lge, addl, arch., kitch, cabs, cust, Pvt, Mins <- It seems like there was a price per character in the ad placement and money was trying to be saved. Definitely not expected in a listing in this price range.

Now, price. Average increase of house value is about 3% per year and can be 3%-5%. Let's say Redfin is accurate and the purchase price was $540,000 in 2016; at 3% per year increase for 2019 the resale would be $590,072 and at 5% it would be $625,117. Unfortunately, both numbers are very far from your current lowered list price. Next years price would be $607,775 at 3% and $656,373 at 5% increase.

Those prices are the final sale price not listing since you always want a little negotiating room. It'll also come down to how badly you want to sell.

The two homes that recently sold:

One was for sale since last Sept and finally sold after two price changes and finally being delisted in Dec and relisted in Dec. It went under contract in February, is 1,000 sqft larger than yours and sold for $680,000 in May at $143 a sqft. This one is also only one story.

The other was listed in Feb and sold in June for $700,000, 3,370 sqft, master on first, $208 a sqft. I think this last sale has skewed the pricing in your neighborhood big time.

Taking the average of the two price per sqft gets you $175 a sqft which would be a good sale price with your current listing price: $661, 325. BUT you don't have the downstairs master and it's the end of the selling season.

Long story short: relist in Feb/March after creating a buzz, rewrite description without abbreviations, price according to national average increase of 3%-5% per year: 629,900 - 649,900 or 674,900 if you're feeling lucky. (649,900 keeps it in the under 650,000 price search and attracts more buyers)

Good Luck!!!

I suggest that you call an architect to see if it is possible to convert a first floor room to a master bedroom. Empty nesters want first floor master suites. If your house doesn't have one, it will sell for less. It's an attractive house that is well presented.

Edited to add: the idea is to see if it's possible, not to do the work. If it is possible, the sellers can pay an architect for preliminary sketches (or whatever is appropriate) that can be shown to prospective buyers.

Voice of reason ahead; I'd do the things I recommended before I put in an elevator, hire an architect to get a master on the first floor, or even lower the price.

The things I recommended are cosmetic and fairly cheap to implement. Don't throw big money at this until you try the easy things first.

Real estate is pretty simple - principles of economics. If a product is not selling then it is priced higher than what people are willing to spend for it. That being said, it sounds like you have the luxury of sitting on it and waiting for the price you want.

Your house is beautiful. Don't bother with major renovations like putting in an elevator or creating a first-floor master. It hasn't been on the market for an unusually long time and, as others have said, price is everything. Give it a few more weeks and then lower the price. If it's still unsold by the end of fall, try again in spring.

For wiw I'm a real estate investor in CA. I think your house is wonderful. And everything looks very nice. I don't see this house for empty nesters. Its really the size and layout that is perfect for a family with school age kids. And I see that the schools are excellent. The staging is all good except maybe too much furniture in the family room. I have priced a small elevator. You need a 6x6 shaft that can go in an existing large closet or spare room. It costs about $20,000 installed. There are alternatives that do not require a shaft, but they are not hidden away. But I'm not suggesting you install one or even mention it to prospective buyers. Is there a guest bedroom and full bath on the first level?

If your house doesn't sell in the next month near the asking price, I'd recommend taking it off the market until after the first of the year. Then relist it with a different agent that works with relocations.

darralisa, your house is absolutely beautiful! And you have done a wonderful job at staging. I'm not a pro, just an artist. There are just a couple of areas that I would work on if it were my home. Starting at the entrance of the house. Adding colorful evergreen shrubs for curb appeal. Shutters are a matter of taste. I took them off your house just to see how it looks without them. Inside the house I feel that the only room that needs staging is the living room. 1. The built in wall is beautiful, but as a buyer, my first thought would be that the blue may not go with my living room color choices. I would paint it white. If painting the wall unit white is not an option, then i would replace the rug with a neutral color that coordinates with the brown sofa and chair. 2. There may be too much displayed on the unit. I would minimize it a bit and only display books, vases and accent pieces in various sizes. No personal photos. No need for the candles in front of the tv. 3. The brown sofa and chair are nice, but the other two look too bulky and mis matched. I would find a new home for them and rearrange the layout to be more conversational and cozy. It will also make the room look larger. 4. Replace the art above the sofa with a colorful and much larger horizontal piece that makes an impact when you walk in. 5. Add some lighting with a table lamp and or maybe a floor lamp. Good luck on your sale! Keep us posted.

The wall unit looks grey. I couldn't get it to look white.

To be very clear, I don’t suggest you put in an elevator. I suggest you have the specs available so that you can show buyers how it can be done and for how much money.

Real estate is a true reflection of the free market because the fair market value will be what a seller and buyer agree upon at a specific time.

Since you have no reason to sell, you can wait to get your purchase price until a buyer comes along who will purchase it. I have a friend who did that and after about a year or so, she sold it for what she had been asking. But she was truly in a "test the market" position and wanted to sell only if she got her asking price.

I think the idea of installing an elevator or even a stair lift are not realistic. People install stair lifts or an elevator because they have an attachment to the home they are living in and want to age in place. In a neighborhood in which there are numerous comparable homes with first floor master bedrooms, I can't imagine why someone would deliberately purchase one that required one. I can't imagine wanting to depend on an elevator in my home unless there were extraordinary reasons - e.g. New York City fabulous town house or an elevator that was optional and part of a wow lifestyle - e.g. in a very large expensive home.

I think to a great extent that most people at this point want a first floor master suite or at least the option of one (I've seen two master suites in some homes). Even if they aren't decrepit and still can do stairs easily, families prefer having the children's bedrooms at a distance after the children have reached a certain age.

I doubt that anything superficially cosmetic is going to move the home since what people are suggesting on this thread relates to taste and there is nothing wrong with the taste level of your home or how it is presented.

Your home is lovely and beautifully decorated. As others have stated it may take longer to sell and possibly a price cut. Most empty nesters don't need that much square footage and would prefer the master down. Families need your square footage but probably would not like the zero lot line. The school year has already started and can be a factor for some.

Your staging is fine but I would probably declutter about a third more. I would pack up the family photo's for sure. You have curtains and blinds on some windows. Do you need both? I find the curtains to be a bit much. Maybe take up a rug or two.

Selling a home can be stressful. Pack up things that you know you won't need and you'll be ahead of the game. Can't predict who will buy your home. We sold our last house (4 bedrooms up) to empty nesters. Our neighborhood was mostly families with young kids. They WERE downsizing! My sister sold her 4 bedroom up home to empty nesters also. They told their realtor that the house was just okay and needed some updating but they loved the big fenced in back yard for their DOG!

Nice house. I’m currently looking at houses, and have been for a WHILE, in your price range or above, so I can offer you a couple things that jump out at me. (None of these are a huge deal, but these are the comments I would make to my husband during the tour lol). Too many different paint colors. I prefer one light paint color throughout, and maybe a slight variation in bedrooms. But nothing crazy and no accent walls. Another thing I see is too much furniture, decor, etc.. It looks cramped in your family room. I would take away some of the chairs. I see family photos...I know you have a family and of course you’re gonna have those up, but I wouldn’t for an open house or the real estate photos. My honest option is, there is just too much stuff in there. Remove 1/2 of it and reshoot the photos. Also you’re not in a great time for buying, as you probably know. I agree with the others, take it off and relist next year around spring, since you’re not needing to sell right now. Things will change by then. Until then enjoy it a little longer, it’s a great house and I’m sure you’ll eventually find the right buyer.

One more thought--Paint the fireplace white. I like the look of the all-blue fireplace wall, but people like fireplaces and you want it to stand out when someone is viewing your home. I can't imagine the blue would be a dealbreaker, but you never know what turns people off.

Thank you all for you kindness and gentle critiques. We will take them all into consideration. I really appreciate your time.

The competition isn't your enclave. The competition is every other outer-ring suburb in the Atlanta area. There is nothing that makes Alpharetta any different from any other similar suburb (suburbs differ but there are a lot like yours all over the region). The same is true in any metro area. It's as easy for people to live in many others as in Alpharetta.

There are certainly areas in high demand. Location is high on the list driving demand (especially for daily commuters), but most suburbs have little difference in location value.

If you bought it 3 years ago for $540k, what makes you think it's worth $140k more 36 months later? I see there was a house that sold in your neighborhood in May for $680k, but was an almost 5,000 sf house with a yard. Your house is 1,000 sf smaller on a tiny lot that doesn't have a yard.

Very pretty home and I like your decor. Maybe I’ve missed this somewhere in the post, but have you received any feedback from potential buyers? I’ve been helping a family member house hunt and his realtor will sometimes provide our feedback to the selling realtor.

I, too, am curious about what warrants such a price increase in 3 years since you bought it. Did you get a fantastic deal, or makes significant improvements? If not, perhaps you have a little more wiggle room in your price. Good luck!

Hi all. I haven’t reviewed with my spouse your comments as yet. Good news, he can draw the plans for an elevator as he is an architect. There have been many comments regarding our purchase price vs our listing price. It’s hard to share in a listing, but we purchased the home after someone had moved and it sat vacant for awhile. Therefore, unloved with many areas in need of in attention. This would include new flooring, roof, painting exterior, new lighting, electrical repair, custom master closet and pantry, plumbing repair and/or replacement of fixtures etc., appliance repair or replacement, landscape and so on. It’s hard to believe a house so young needed work, but it really did. In all we spent about 100k. We anticipated some of it, we purchased the home as is, and other things just pop up, especially in a vacant home. So maybe fantastic deal, but the house really needed a hug.

I would think expensive structural stuff would be mentioned in a listing. New electrical and roof certainly is a factor as is anything else that a potential buyer would factor in as so,etching that might need money spent in a relatively short period of time.

It's the PRICE. Or sit on it for the "no hurry" . It's always the price unless you like a ten to twelve month wait for the "right" buyer. In the meantime..... what's it costing to be there. It is always the price. Just as you bought it, unloved....at the right price. Stick it out there at 619/ 629k and see what happens. Stop worrying about the elevator : )

I agree, don't worry about the elevator. I personaly wouldn't want a home with an elevator if there was homes out there with 1st floor bedrooms. And I sure wouldn't want the expense of putting one in let alone the up keep. I would be more inclined to figuring out how to put a master on the 1st floor. Convert a family room or study into a bedroom possibly.

Please don't waste your money on an elevator. I, personally, would never use a residential elevator. I know of too many who have failed. It wouldn't be a buyer incentive. However, I would mention in your description that it would be a simple matter to add one. You need to paint the fireplace and the shelving around it white. The color it is now is disturbing. Your home is lovely though.

I would also remove it from the market and put it back on in November or December. Just don't get crazy with holiday decorating. While some realtors will tell you markets slow at that time, I can tell you from many years of experience that buyers in those months are serious buyers, not just lookers. People move all year round for many reasons...job promotions, family obligations, marriages and divorces, etc. The people coming to see your home don't want to take their time. There are less homes to choose from because of realtor's advice and yours becomes more desirable to potential buyers. It's really the best time to sell. I've been doing this for most of my life.

I just also want to remind you that mortgage rates are lower now and that heats up the market. Your home is quite large and has so many bedrooms and bathrooms that I think it's perfect for a family because the master is upstairs.

I would research other realtors and find one who markets on social media and internationally, as well as traditional methods. Cut down on clutter and make sure your home smells great. Bath and Body Works has those wallflowers. My favorite scent is A Thousand Wishes. It's subtle but beautiful. Don't waste your time on an open house. They are absolutely useless and you end up with nosey neighbors, people who are bored and people who may just be casing your home. Unless your home is spectacularly priced and belongs in a magazine, you won't get buyers that way.

Best of luck to you.

@darralisa

PLEASE do not invest anymore money in this house! An elevator will not help sell this property.

I looked back at the past sales and my numbers are not that off considering you bought it in need of repair. Unfortunately, your buying price was only $30,000 less than the 3% per year increase and you invested $100,000. If you want to recoup your investment, you can't move for a while.

Here's a spreadsheet starting at the 2008 sales price of $450,000, notice that the sales price in 2011 is close to the average 3% yearly increase:

The formulas are listed if you'd like to create your on excel spreadsheet.

I do wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose to do! Real Estate can be a real headache.

darralisa - I think your home is beautiful! And what a great price! Something like that in my area (a golf course community in TN) would go for close to a million! If I were in your area, I would certainly be interested.

Yes, having the Master on the 2nd level is not that appealing to the older generation. My husband thinks the Master should be on the main floor. I differ. We have several friends our age (60's) and up into their late 70's who have their Master on the second floor. They say the stairs keep them young and fit. As long as one is able and careful, climbing stairs should not be a problem. Some of our friends have elevator plans, or have them installed for the "just in case", while others have a guest bedroom/bath on the main floor that can be used when the time comes. You would never know there was an elevator unless they pointed it out. It is a closed-in sheet-rocked area with a door that looks like it goes to anything (closet, bedroom, bathroom, etc.) I would definitely show a plan where an elevator could go, and get some pricing. Do nothing more!

Agreeing with some others that the fireplace wall could use some attention. Lighten and brighten! Since you are not having to sell, I would also take your home off the market. Do nothing but a little clean-up and eliminate a few decor items. Nothing drastic! This is YOUR home and you should be surrounded by things that you love. ;) I am not wild about the idea of relisting during the holidays, though. Read below for another idea.

My husband and I are in a similar situation. We are wanting to move 30 minutes away and build a house in the neighborhood where my husband grew up. It would also be closer to our daughter, her husband and our grandchildren. :) However, we do not have to move. Nor would we necessarily have to sell before building. We had told a few friends and neighbors that we might be moving sometime in the near future. After 13 years in our "new" home, we are no where ready to list a house!!! But low and behold,...a neighbor, that is also a realtor, called us out of the blue and asked if we would be interested in selling. We told her that we had thought about it, but the house was not sale ready. She said not to worry that it would be a one time showing for some clients that were looking for a house in our area. She thought the layout and square footage would be perfect for this family.

The neighbor/realtor said not to do a thing to clean-up, change decor, etc. I did clean out our Master closet, but that's about all. Two weeks ago her clients looked at our house two days in a row. The realtor thought they were about to make an offer. They were not planning on having to sell their home. Then the market dropped last week and they decided to talk to their banker/adviser. He advised that they sell their home first. :( Since we are in no hurry, and will not accept a contingency offer, what will be, will be. But that's alright... we are not ready to move just yet. If nothing else, we will probably put our house on a quiet market in the spring.

In the meantime, our neighbor/realtor asked for more one time showings should the right client come along. This method is much less stressful than having to have our home show ready at all times. The realtor will call ahead and give a few days heads up. We can go about our normal activities and not worry about whether the house is clean should realtor want to show a home that same day. Also, we will not be having people coming through that are not already qualified buyers for the appraisal price, those that are nosy, or those that the house would not be suitable for. Another plus... the commission to realtor is less if she is the only one involved!

From a Realtor's POV: if you require a few days advance notice to show your home, you will decrease your buyer pool IME. Even if you require a minimum of 24 hour advance notice, you lose some buyers. Most of the buyers here in my area book property showing days a day in advance and not a few days in advance unless it is a relocation and they are coming from out of the area. Note: a day in advance is not 24 hour notice typically. Some people hold the line at 24 hours and that can create issues if the appointment is booked at 3:00 in the afternoon for a 1 pm showing the next day as you are 'short' two hours.

Do review the sold comps with upstairs Master like homechef suggests. If your Realtor can't provide (true) comps, have an appraiser provide a realistic appraisal for you. However, if your Realtor can't provide true comps, then consider another Realtor. Knowing actual comps and not just closed sales is what we are supposed to do.

I have lived in this exact area for 20 years and know it well. IMO, selling in your specific neighborhood will require patience. It's a beautiful home, but you are in a special category. The price, monthly HOA and square footage are not what most empty nesters are looking for. Your home is definitely large enough for a family, but most would also want a larger yard, a second living space and/or basement and amenities. They can get all that with your surrounding competition and at a lower price. Everything else is in your favor- great schools, shopping, parks/greenspace, etc...

We recently downsized from a 5BR/5BA to a 3 BR/3BA. The whereabouts of the master was not a concern. EMPTY NESTERS DOES NOT MEAN SENIORS.

With regards to staging, it may just be the pictures or the bulky furniture, but the family/living room was underwhelming to me.

On the outside, there's a lot of visual complexity. I suggest painting the 3rd floor walls to match the lower two. And remove those add looking window shutters. They don't look like they fit and they add clutter.