Localism: Why Hasn't My Home Sold Yet?

If your home is on the market, in Maryland or anywhere across the USA, do you know why it hasn't sold yet?

Without seeing your home first hand, I can't even guess. But I can give you some food for thought based on many years of experience.

When there's a six-month supply of homes for sale, like today, it's a buyers' market - that means market conditions are more favorable for buyers than sellers. Some homes are selling, and no doubt there's a good reason why they sold when others did not.

Burying a statue of Saint Joseph in your yard is probably not the magic answer you're looking for. Although some people swear by it, I'm really not sure if that is more of a Superstition or Sales Strategy.

The way I see it, all the stars must align just right. If one or more is "off the mark", a home may not sell in today's market!

Now, to learn the names of the stars and find out who is in control of each, CONTINUE to read the rest of this post at Focus on Crofton.

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Posted Saturday Feb 16

(02/16/08 12:17AM) — Julie Neerings~Lifting Hearts ♥ Building Dreams~Utah REALTOR®

Wow, Wow and Wow! The stars are definitely aligned in this fantastic post. You go out of your way to provide exceptional information to your consumers Margaret and what a blessing that is for your clients.

(02/16/08 07:01AM) — Neal Bloom-Realtor ® Assoc.-CRS-Weston FL

Our market has 17.5 months of inventory....I let my potential clients know that upfront so they understand that if it is overpriced they will be added to the long list of inventory.

(02/16/08 07:46AM) — Cindy Jones-Offering Real Estate Service for the 21st Century in Northern VA

Poor St Joseph doesn't get a lot of respect. Burying him upside down in a garden probably wasn't what he had anticipated with his good works. I'll ask my sellers to price there homes realistically and get them in showroom condition before we resort to burying St Joseph.

(02/16/08 09:09AM) — Margaret Woda, Maryland REALTOR

Julie - Funny thing, I went on a lising appointment yesterday with these stars (never presented quie that way before), and the consumers didn't seem all that impressed. Hmmmm. Preaching to the choir here, I guess.

Neal - That's AWFUL! 'Glad I'm not selling real estate there. It's tough enough right here in my Maryland market, without about 6-8 months, depending on the zipcode.

Cindy - So true! It's really "back to basics" for home sales 101.

(02/16/08 11:15AM) — Fran 'The Title Man' Gaspari Title Insurance-PA & NJ

Margaret,

Many years ago we had a spec home that was on the market a long time...having heard of some statue burying ritual, but not exactly sure of how it worked, I went out and bought a cheap plastic statue of The Virgin Mary...buried it next to the front porch...the house sold within weeks! Amazing!!! Thanks, Fran

(02/16/08 07:04PM) — Lisa Heindel, New Orleans West Bank Real Estate

Poor St. Joseph is buried all over New Orleans. I think he's working on the backlog :)

(02/17/08 01:18AM) — Central Oregon Real Estate | Thesa Chambers, Broker

I love the post and the comments are a hoot - I quit figuring our absorption rate a while ago - need to recalculate it - not sure I look forward to seeing it... but I should have a more current number... :o)

(02/17/08 01:37AM) — Margaret Woda, Maryland REALTOR

Fran, a religious man like you buring the Virgin Mary? Oh, my!

Lisa, So youre saying it's not working because the backlog is still there?

Thesa, You probably don't want to know the truth. One thing I found interesting was the 10 month absorption rate we have here, YET the homes that have sold were on the market an average of 100 days - longer than 3 years ago, but definately "normal" - So homes are selling, if all those stars I mentioned are aligned.

(02/17/08 07:31AM) — Patricia Kennedy

Margaret, I use St Anthony, St Joseph and St Jude. It has to be pretty serious to get St Jude involved (he's reserved for impossible cases)

(02/17/08 04:31PM) — Jeff Belonger -- The FHA Expert.com -- New Jersey mortgage -- FHA mortgages

Margaret.... I have heard that he is buried all over Florida.... it's one thing to have faith and to believe, it's another to follow the advice of a professional. You do put some good information together.