Selling a home is exhausting for anyone, but the process can be especially disheartening when you host lots of showings but get no offers. If you can’t seem to sell your home after months on the market, it may be time to adjust your strategy.
The Average Number of Showings to Sell a House
The average number of showings can vary significantly based on the time of year, the location of the home, and the current market conditions. However, MLS data reveals that, in general, a home sells after about 20 showings.
In addition, it takes an average of 55-70 days to sell a home in the U.S., according to data from Zillow. With this in mind, you might expect to host 2 to 3 showings per week over 8 to 10 weeks before you sell your home—this is assuming that your home is about average in terms of quality and desirability.
If you’ve hosted many showings but still have no offers, there are several possible factors in play.
Why You’re Attracting Lots of Showings but Get No Offers
If you’re hosting a lot of showings, the good news is that there’s genuine interest around your home. But, for some reason, buyers just aren’t taking the leap once the showing is complete. There may be several reasons for this:
Problem 1:
The house looks “lived in.” There may be a lot of clutter, stacks of boxes, piles of dishes in the sink, and other intrusions that make the house appear small, congested, unkempt, or otherwise undesirable.
Solution:
When listing your house for sale, you should make it look like a model home: just the main furniture and any essentials you need from day to day. All clutter should be placed in storage or in closets, firmly out of the way. The home should look clean, spacious, and inviting, and potential buyers should be able to envision how they might make the place their own. So make it as open as possible, and opt for a deep clean if necessary.
Problem 2:
The house lacks curb appeal. In some cases, potential buyers may make a judgment before they even step through the door.
Solution:
Don’t just focus on the inside; ensure that your landscaping and all exterior features are clean and presentable. Go above and beyond to ensure that your yard is clean, clutter is removed, and overgrowth is managed.
Problem 3:
Visitors just aren’t comfortable when they enter the home.
Solution:
If you want to make a good impression, you need to cater to the whole experience. Make sure to keep the home at a pleasing temperature, offer inviting scents, let natural light shine through the windows, and provide refreshments. Let guests keep their shoes on, and always maintain a warm and friendly demeanor when you interact with them. These little touches can make a huge difference.
Problem 4:
The home requires significant repairs. For example, it may have a faulty foundation, water damage, or a roof in disrepair. Buyers are generally turned off by the thought of having to make renovations.
Solution:
The ideal solution is to make any repairs immediately, thus increasing the home’s value and making the property more appealing to buyers. If you can’t pay for the repairs out of pocket, you may be able to negotiate a repair escrow—whereby you set aside a portion of funds from the sale and provide them to the buyer to make the necessary repairs.
Problem 5:
You’re asking too much for the home. Even if the home appraises for a specific amount, the current market conditions may necessitate a reduction in the asking price—unless you’re willing to wait for conditions to improve.
Solution:
If you’re willing to take a small price cut, speak with your real estate agent about the pros and cons of reducing the asking price, if only slightly. Even a 5% reduction in price may entice more buyers. If multiple buyers are enticed, you may still receive an offer that’s close to your original asking price.
Problem 6:
Your buyers don’t have enough time to get a proper feel for the home.
Solution:
Make sure your buyers don’t feel rushed. How long should a house showing take? Most real estate agents agree that 15 to 20 minutes is an optimal amount of time, but you want to ensure that your visitors feel comfortable taking all of the time they need. Don’t hover over them while they’re touring the house, and make sure they know that they’re free to take all the time they need. If your time is limited, see if you can schedule a more flexible time for them to return for a second showing.
How to Host a Successful Showing
The basics of hosting a successful showing are pretty simple:
- Make sure the home looks great inside and out
- Create an inviting atmosphere
- Make any necessary repairs or explain to the buyer how the repairs will be addressed
- Make yourself available to answer all of your guests’ questions
In addition, there’s one more simple but powerful way to improve your success when showing the home:
Make sure that your real estate agent has a showing feedback system in place.
This is a simple questionnaire that allows the agent to solicit honest feedback and determine what buyers like and do not like when touring the home. The information you obtain from this form can be invaluable.
You might learn that buyers are overwhelmed by the paint color in the kitchen, or some might simply feel rushed. Use this information to host more successful subsequent showings.
What to Do When a Potential Buyer Requests a Second Showing
While second showings aren’t as common as they used to be, they’re still requested by some home buyers, and they can really work to your advantage. A second-showing request means that a buyer is interested, and your home might be in their top 2 or 3 choices. They might want to take some basic measurements, get a closer look at the home, or show the place to their own family.
In other words, a second showing is your chance to really win them over. Make sure that the house is in pristine condition, and make yourself available to answer any questions they may have. Try to be as flexible as possible with accommodating the buyer’s schedule; if you’re not available when they want to visit, they might just go with their other favorite house.
What to Do When You Still Can’t Find a Buyer
If you still can’t find a buyer but you’re eager to sell, you have a few alternative options at your disposal.
- List your home at auction. Auction sites make it possible to list your home for a set period of time and sell to the highest bidder. If you’re concerned about taking a huge loss, you can set a minimum reserve price. While an auction doesn’t mean a guaranteed sale, it can allow you to reach a different buyer pool and sell with less effort.
- Rent out the home. If you don’t need the cash immediately but you want to get out, you can temporarily use the house as a rental property until the market improves or you find the right buyer. Just remember that being a landlord can come with its own set of headaches.
- Sell to a real estate investor. A real estate investor will buy your home quickly and with no hassle, often to flip the house, use it as a rental property, or resell it for a profit. For instance, at Get Fair Home Offers, we buy houses for cash in Los Angeles. We’ll make you a no-hassle offer and pay you cash in as little as a week. It doesn’t matter what condition the home is in. We will make you an offer, and there are no obligations.
Don’t be discouraged if you have had lots of showings but no offers so far. The real estate game can be frustrating, but you always have options available.