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There are a lot of little things that keep many Plainfield and Naperville sellers from selling their home. Here is a list of the top 10 reasons your Plainfield or Naperville house might not be selling. 

1. Testing the market by over-pricing the house.  Over-pricing any home is always the kiss of death when it comes to real estate.  Buyers are savvy these days and with such a high inventory of homes on the market they arent willing to spend the time trying to talk down a reluctant seller.
2. Sticking around for showings.  Buyers want to feel themselves in the house, but if your cozied up on your easy chair, its kind of hard for them to imagine it being "their" house.
3. Smoking indoors.  Tobacco, Cigar and pipe smoke leaves a residual odor and can be very problematic for people with asthma or allergies.  Long after the smoke is gone, the effects are left to linger in the duct work, furnace, carpet and drywall. 
4. Not keeping the house clean.  Buyers have the right to be picky these days because there are a lot of homes to chose from.  Toothpaste on the mirrors or sink, unmade beds, and dirty dishes are a major turn-off for any buyer.
5. Not accommodating buyers and agents for showings.  By putting too many restrictions on when the house is available for showings makes it more likely that it wont be shown by other agents.  Typically a buyers agent will take clients out for about 3 hours at a time.  If your house is unavailable during that time, they will move on to the next.
6. Too much clutter around the house or yard.  You want your buyers to think you have all the space in the world!  Cluttered counter tops, crammed closets and bulging garages scream to the buyer that your running out of space.  Believe me they wont want to think about having to move again anytime soon.
7. Bold colors on the floors and walls.  Neutral is always best when selling a house.  Think Earth tones and muted colors.  A blank slate is easy to customize, while bold colors mean more work for a buyer who isnt crazy about the color scheme.
8. Dated or non-working appliances.  Replacing old or non-working appliances may seem like and investment, but they usually yield a big return.  Check for dent and ding sales at some of the big box retailers for a discount.  New kitchen appliances give dated kitchens a face lift.
9. Wallpaper that is dated and needs replacing.  If you have ever had to remove wall paper before, this one doesnt even need an explanation.  If its only up there because you didnt want to remove it, think about what that buyer is thinking :)
10. Strong odors from pets, cooking or air fresheners.  People associate scents with emotion, and the sense of smell is usually the first thing to greet a buyer at the front door. Make it a great first impression by keeping it on the down low.  Reed diffusers make a great subtle fragrance while plug-ins and sprays can be over-whelming.  Keep the litter box in the garage or basement if possible and avoid cooking with fragrant spices and herbs that linger indoors.

There is a large inventory of homes in Plainfield and Naperville, let me help you make yours special.  If you are looking for a Plainfield or Naperville Realtor that knows what buyers want call me at 630-673-6233.