Some things can make or break a home sale.
Selling a home in a buyer's market can be challenging on its own, though there are some things that can further complicate a sale, especially at a luxury price.
I asked real estate agents about the unusual factors that can make or break the sale of your home. Here are five big offenders.
Lockboxes
Elizabeth Ann Stribling-Kivlan, senior managing director at Compass, is against using lockboxes as part of the showing process.
Aside from scams and burglaries associated with lockboxes since they are unmanned and are easily broken, Stribling-Kivlan believes they make the showing process less personal.
"A lockbox allows any agent to show the home at any time as long as they have the combination," Stribling-Kivlan says. "So, the seller's agent isn't really doing much on behalf of the property, and the buyer's agent likely doesn't even know the home well, if at all, and they are showing it to potential buyers cold. Not exactly a win for anyone in the scenario especially with picky luxury buyers."
Unsightly neighbors
“An unsightly or unfinished roof deck area in the otherwise well-manicured multi-million dollar development can trigger the pangs of doubt in the buyer’s mind, not to mention a realization that a nearby lot is about to be developed and the panoramic views of the skyline lost," Aleksandra Scepanovic, managing director of Ideal Properties Group.
In wealthy suburban enclaves, your neighbor's property could also derail interest.
"In places like the Hamptons, property lines are everything," Stribling-Kivlan says. "I've heard stories of prospective buyers dismiss beautiful homes because the neighbors on one side or the other have over planted their yard, and the flora and fauna is spilling over the property line from above or through the fence. They assume the neighbors are difficult and they don't like the look of the neighbor's yard so they simply move on."
Nearby noise
"A noise from a neighboring construction site or a much-traveled tunnel down the block are also sure tickets to said doubt," Scepanovic says.
Lisa K. Lippman of Brown Harris Stevens has had listings that she will try not to show at rush hour when the traffic is heavy or if near a school, at drop-off or pick-up time.
Talkative brokers
Another turnoff when viewing a luxury property is a pushy or overly talkative showing agent, says broker Wendy Arriz of Warburg Realty.
"Many clients want peace and quiet to walk through the space," Arriz says. "It is distractive and overwhelming to listen to an agent chirping in your ear nonstop."
Time of Day
Not all showing times are created equal.
"The amount of light a home gets depends largely on the positioning of the sun," Stribling-Kivlan says. "Agents who don't keep this in mind could end up showing a home on the darker side, and those searching for the perfect home will be turned off if they feel there isn't enough natural light. Many agents have started using apps to determine how much light a room gets, and the best time of day to show, in order to present the best possible case for the home."
