Home Not Selling? Listen to What the Market Is Telling You

Your House Doesn’t Know the Average

What Days on Market Is Really Telling You

If a home isn’t selling, should the seller change Realtors?
Not necessarily. Changing agents does not change what buyers are willing to pay. If a home is being properly marketed and the Realtor is communicating, following up and providing honest feedback, sellers should first examine the market’s response to price, condition and presentation. Staying engaged with the process and making thoughtful adjustments is often more effective than simply starting over.

By Allison Cobb | The Cobb Group

There are plenty of real estate statistics worth watching.

Days on Market is one of them.

But here’s the problem with averages:

Your house doesn’t know the average.

A few homes sitting for six months can pull that number up considerably. A seller sees it and understandably thinks, Well, I guess homes are just taking longer to sell.

Maybe.

But I’m much more interested in what buyers are doing with your house.

The Market Is Already Talking

The first few weeks of a listing can tell us an enormous amount.

Are buyers coming through? Are they coming back? What are their Realtors saying? Are people clicking online but not scheduling a showing?

And sometimes the loudest feedback is no feedback at all.

Feedback is golden. Silence can be pretty valuable too.

One of a Realtor’s most important jobs is translating all of those signals—the showings, comments, second visits and silence—into information a seller can actually use.

Because at the end of the day, the market doesn’t lie.

Don’t Confuse Starting Over With Fixing the Problem

If a home isn’t selling, it can be tempting to think a fresh start will solve everything.

New Realtor. New listing. New photos. Back to Day One.

But if the home has been properly marketed and buyers have already had an opportunity to respond, changing the name on the sign doesn’t change what those buyers are willing to pay.

Sometimes that’s just putting lipstick on a pig.

A little Allison Cobb bluntness, perhaps, but the point is important.

Price and condition sell homes.

Presentation and marketing absolutely matter. Exposure matters. Great photography matters. A hardworking Realtor matters.

But none of those things can consistently overcome a price the market isn’t supporting.

And remember: no one wants your house to sell more than the Realtor who is working hard to make it happen.

If your Realtor is engaged, marketing the property, following up and giving you honest information, listen carefully to what they’re translating for you.

The answer may not be starting over.

It may simply be making the next smart adjustment.

You’re Not Supposed to Beat the Market

This is where sellers can get stuck.

A price adjustment can feel like losing.

It isn’t.

Sometimes patience is right. Sometimes the price needs to change. Sometimes condition or presentation needs a little attention.

The key is to stay with the process and keep listening.

You’re not supposed to beat the market.

You’re supposed to read it.

Fighting what buyers are telling you usually does one thing very well:

It slows everything down.

So move with the market instead of resisting it.

Listen to the buyers. Listen to the feedback. Listen to the silence. And listen to the Realtor who is standing in the middle of all that information trying to help you make sense of it.

Then make the next decision together.

Starting over may feel like action. Moving forward with better information is usually a much better strategy.

The Short Answer

My home has been on the market a while. Does that mean something is wrong?
Not necessarily. Days on Market is only one signal. Showings, second visits, feedback, price, condition and buyer behavior tell a much fuller story.

Should I change Realtors if my home isn’t selling?
Changing Realtors alone does not change market value. If your Realtor is actively marketing the home, communicating and giving you honest feedback, first look at what the market is telling you about price, condition and presentation.

What actually sells a home?
Ultimately, price and condition matter most, supported by strong presentation, marketing and exposure appropriate for the market that exists today.

If you're considering selling in Hilton Head Island, Bluffton or elsewhere in the South Carolina Lowcountry, The Cobb Group is always happy to talk through the strategy—and just as importantly, help interpret what the market is telling us once your home is listed.

Allison Cobb | The Cobb Group
Strategic Moves. Lasting Relationships.

Written by Allison Cobb

The author assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or emissions in the content of this blog. The information provided on is an “as is” basis with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or timeliness.