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Hosting showings is a great way to introduce your home to potential buyers. Showings can generate buyer interest that ideally will lead to a sale. But what if you have had lots of showings but no offers on your home?
This is a common scenario that can be frustrating and confusing for sellers. Fortunately, it’s usually due to one or more fixable causes.
Here’s an overview of the possible issues, how to identify what’s holding your home back, and action steps you can take to get the offer you want to sell your home.
If you’re not working with a real estate agent and you’ve had lots of showings but no offers, it might be time to reconsider hiring an agent. An experienced local real estate agent can help you find qualified buyers who are serious about buying a house soon. Using a service like Clever Real Estate can also help you save money because the listing agents in Clever’s network provide full service support for 1.5% commission. Take a short quiz to find your agent today!
Reasons Why Your Home Isn’t Getting Offers
You May Need to Adjust Your Pricing
Pricing is the most common reason why homes get lots of showings but no offers. Nailing the listing price is critical to successfully selling your home.
If you overprice your home, serious buyers might like your house but feel it’s not worth the list price. Pricing your home too low can also backfire by raising red flags. Buyers could assume there are problems with your home if it appears to be priced below its market value.
The challenge is for you and your agent to determine whether your home is overpriced or underpriced, by how much, and why it feels that way to potential buyers. After you assess the home’s current price, you can develop a plan to adjust the pricing to better fit the current market.
A good agent will provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA) to show you how your home stacks up compared to other similar ones in the area.
Unlike a Zillow Zestimate, a CMA conducted by a real estate agent includes walking through your home before valuing it. They’ll consider important details about your home, including recent renovations and repairs, and then determine a listing price based on nearby homes in similar condition.
Look at your current listing price and see how it compares to the CMA. If you find it’s priced too high, a 3% to 5% drop may do the trick. But avoid continuously dropping the price — this signals to buyers you don’t know what you’re doing or that there’s something undesirable about the home.
You Might Need a New Agent
You should always be happy with the service provided by your real estate agent. You are paying them, after all! An agent’s commission on your $200,000 home will be something like $6,000 before broker’s fees. If you’re not satisfied with their service, it’s okay to fire your agent and opt for another who better fits your needs.
Consider a new top agent with the experience you need to sell.
Home Presentation Isn’t Hitting the Mark
Even if your home is in a good location and priced reasonably, the presentation may fall flat. In this case, prospective buyers can’t easily see themselves living in your home. Poor presentation can also cause buyers to focus on what they need to change to feel at home rather than your house’s positive features.
Improving the appeal of your home doesn’t have to involve extensive upgrades. Sellers can get carried away with upgrades to get a sale, which may end up costing money in the long run. You want to look for impactful changes that allow buyers to see the potential of your home.
“Small issues that affect how buyers perceive the property can occasionally undermine the purchasing momentum,” says Andrew Reichek, CEO of Bode Builders and a Texas real estate broker. Work with your real estate agent to identify the most bang for your buck improvements.
Usually, simple upgrades and fixes can make all the difference. For example, focus on:
Cleanliness
A clean home can leave a positive impression on buyers, helping them feel comfortable and more able to focus on your home’s unique features.
“Seeing a dirty home gives prospective buyers an impression of deferred maintenance and neglect,” states John Mace, a realtor in Durango, CO.
Decluttering
A cluttered home can leave buyers feeling overwhelmed and questioning whether the home has adequate storage space and room. Decluttering can help buyers better visualize living in your home.
Neutralizing odors
Unusual or offensive odors can be off-putting to potential buyers, making them question if this is a place they want to live.
If deep cleaning can’t get rid of the smells, consider other solutions, like running an ionizer machine when no one is home, recommends Jenifer Hoffman, principal broker and owner of Hoffman Real Estate.
Poor lighting
A poorly lit home can make it feel closed-in and smaller than it actually is. A bright room makes people feel comfortable, can make the space feel more open, and makes it easier to see the best features of the home.
Bold decor
Decor that’s too specific, like bold paint or strange furniture, can distract potential buyers and make it harder to see themselves living in the home. Removing unusual decor and freshly painting bold rooms can help.
Curb appeal
The front of your home is the first thing potential buyers see. Real estate agent Cilicia Philemon notes, “First impressions are very important. Curb appeal has to be there for the buyers to want to come inside to see more.”
To improve your home’s appeal, tend and mow the yard, repair any problems with fences, and make sure the exterior paint looks clean and isn’t peeling.
When to go big
If you have a major issue (like foundation damage) that may hold your home back, consider remedying it — buyers don’t want to think about forking over the cash for the fix on top of purchasing the home itself.
Ready to get started? HomeAdvisor can connect you with top contractors in your area free of charge.
You Need Better Marketing, Including Online
A simple yard sign won’t do the trick these days. People decide whether to book a showing based on online listings.
If you’re getting showings, the listing did its job — but maybe it oversold or misrepresented the property. As a result, you may be attracting the wrong buyers.
Here are some suggestions to make sure your online marketing is attracting the right prospective buyers.
Use high-quality photos
Your home’s online images can make a big impact on whether a prospective buyer decides to move forward with a showing. You’ll want to have high-quality photos taken by a professional to capture your home’s features. Great photos can drive more traffic and increase interest.
Create an accurate and compelling listing description
Your listing description should be compelling and accurate, even if there are undesirable aspects of the home. A well-written description generates interest in your home and can help buyers start to visualize living there. You’ll want to include details like square footage, number of bedrooms, and any special features, like a pool or recent renovations.
However, if there are major repairs needed, note this in the description, too — you don’t want to unpleasantly surprise buyers when they visit your open house.
Be transparent about flaws
No home is perfect. Being upfront about any flaws or major repairs helps you attract buyers who aren’t put off by these conditions. It also helps build trust.
Syndicate your listing to major sites
You’ll want to make sure your listing is available on more than the multiple listing service (MLS). You’ll also want it posted on popular real estate sites like Zillow, Trulia, and Facebook. These platforms are often a first stop for prospective buyers — even before they get a buyer’s realtor.
Consult an experienced real estate agent
A great real estate agent is key to generating quality offers on your home. If you’re not currently working with an agent, or aren’t satisfied with the one you have, consider finding an agent through Clever to help you get more offers.
Clever’s network of agents includes top-rated real estate agents from major brands — like Century 21 and Keller Williams — who are experts in their local markets and the value of homes in the area. They offer the same full service as other agents, but Clever has pre-negotiated a 1.5% listing fee with these agents. This means the same quality service of other agents, but more money in your pocket.
But you only get the discount if you connect with the agent through Clever. Get started with a short quiz to learn more and get connected with a top local agent who can help sell your home quickly and for the best price by getting you more showings and more offers.
Unique Features or Buyer Turn-Offs
Unique homes and features can be divisive and may not appeal to every buyer. For example, bold designs, unusual colors or wallpaper, pet damage, and outdated finishes can cause some buyers to see things to fix or change instead of the home’s potential. Even if the changes are relatively easy to make, many buyers might not want to do the work.
If you’re struggling to get offers despite multiple showings, you may want to take an objective look at your home’s unique features and staging. See if there are small tweaks you can make to help increase its appeal to more buyers. If you’re working with an agent, they may also have an idea of simple changes or improvements to increase your home’s appeal.
Making small changes can have a big impact, like:
- Repainting worn walls or changing colors
- Fixing minor dents in drywalls
- Switching outdated fixtures
- Addressing deferred maintenance, like chipping paint or old grout
However, you’ll want to be thoughtful about the changes you make and understand the market.
“If you live in a desirable area where very few properties come up for sale, you may be wasting money on prepping the house since it will sell more due to its location than its condition,” cautions real estate broker Sammy Lyon.
If you have an unusual feature that you’re not going to change, like a tree growing in your main room, state it in your listing description and show a photo. These kinds of unique features may not appeal to everyone, but it will attract those looking for homes with character.
Lack of Market Alignment or Poor Feedback
Getting feedback from showings is essential to helping you understand why your home is generating interest but not leading to offers.
Jenifer Hoffman, principal broker and owner of Hoffman Real Estate, suggests using tools like ShowingTime to make it easy to get feedback on your home. “These tools prompt buyer’s agents to answer a few quick questions and rate the listing.”
Use the feedback you receive to help guide your next decisions, whether that’s adjusting the pricing or making small repairs.
Sammy Lyon also suggests keeping a close eye on comparable properties currently for sale. “As a seller, you are also at the mercy of what other homes happen to be available when you choose to list.”
If you’re struggling to get offers, consider whether your home doesn’t match what people expect for the price or area at this time.
Check in with your agent frequently to evaluate feedback for patterns and to understand how your property compares to other homes currently for sale.
✅ Final Section: What Sellers Can Do
Here are some steps you can take to make sure your home’s showings lead to offers.
- Gather feedback from your agent after every showing.
- Adjust your listing price if it’s too high.
- Reassess your staging and home presentation.
- Fix small issues that might be causing red flags.
- Work with a top local agent who knows how to position your home competitively.
- Consider updating your marketing materials.
- Be patient but proactive.
Top FAQs About Getting More Offers for Your Home
1. What does it mean if my home has lots of showings but no offers?
Typically when you get lots of showings but no offers, there is a mismatch between the first impression of your home that’s generating the showings and the buyers’ expectations once they visit in person.
The specific reason may include issues with pricing, photos that don’t match the in person experience, property issues, or presentation problems.
2. Should I lower the price if my home isn’t getting offers?
If you want to sell quickly, adjusting your home’s price can be an effective tool. But it’s most important to price your home as accurately as possible. Overpricing and underpricing both can cause problems.
Getting a CMA from a real estate agent and evaluating feedback from prospective buyers who visited your home but didn’t make an offer can help guide whether adjusting your home’s pricing is the right next step.
3. How long should I wait before adjusting my home’s list price?
The general advice is to wait until your home’s been on the market for at least 30 days without a strong offer before adjusting the list price. However, the timing can depend on your local market condition and your home’s circumstances.
You’ll also want to consider if you’re getting showings, buyer’s feedback, and whether market conditions have changed since you listed.
4. What are buyers looking for during showings?
Prospective buyers are looking at the condition of your home and whether it meets their needs. Some common areas buyers focus on include:
- Maintenance and overall condition of the home, including roof, HVAC, or possible structural problems
- The property’s features such as size, layout, and any unique features
- Location and feel of the neighborhood
5. Is feedback from showings important?
Yes, because feedback from prospective buyers can help you and your agent understand the buyer’s perspective, guide decisions on presentation and pricing adjustments, and identify ways to improve the home’s appeal and marketing.