When Your Home Doesn't Sell

Dear Home Diva,
My house has been on the market along time. Why won't my house sell?

Sincerely, P.T. High

Dear P.T.,
There are a number things that factor in why a house doesn't sell. While some additional factors may come into play, the main reasons for a home not selling usually are price, condition and location.

While you can't move your house to improves its marketability, you certainly can work on price and condition. If buyers are not looking or making offers on your home, price could be the primary factor. No one wants to pay top dollar for a home that doesn't merit the price.

While I love their programing, HGTV has conditioned a lot of buyers to expect move-in ready, updated homes. If you're missing some of the bells & whistles buyers expect, then you need to make your price attractive to them.

In today's market in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area with inventory low, homes that are priced right sell fairly quickly, so you may need to look at a price adjustment.

I would also take a step back and objectively look at your house and how does it show? Is there too much clutter? Do you need better curb appeal? Does it need a good cleaning? All these can be factors in buyers passing over your home. --the Home Diva

Keeping New Year's Resolutions

January soon will sputter to an end and with it most people's New Year’s resolutions.

According to people who keep track of those sorts of things, between 40 and 45 percent of us make New Year's resolutions. (Raise your hand if you’re like me and do that sort of thing.)

We begin our journey filled with hope, promise and commitment, but by the end of week two, only 71 percent of us trudge on. By six months end, the number drops to 46 percent. As time goes on, success plummets. It's all rather depressing.

Still, there is a bright spot in all of this. 

Researchers say that those people “who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions.”

Ten times. Whew! That’s a lot–enough to make me re-think and re-start my personal, professional and organizational goals and resolutions.

It may be the end of January, but I'm resolved to start tackling my resolution list again.

And, what you might ask the Home Diva does any of all of this have to do with real estate? Why, I'm glad you asked. Whether you've always wanted to buy a home, or upsize or downsize, a firm New Year's commitment can get you on the path to achieving your dreams.

If you need to sell, now is the time to start organizing, cleaning and getting your home market ready. I've got tons of ideas on my Pinterest boards to help get you started.

If you want to buy a home, now is the time to examine your finances and start the pre-approval process. Do you need to save more? Repair your credit? Find a realtor? Again, check out my Pinterest boards for information.

Remember, if we resolve to do this, we are 10 times more likely to succeed!