Didn’t Sell Last Year? Here’s Why Spring Is Your Second Chance.

If you pulled your home off the market in late 2024, you weren’t alone. Nearly 73,000 homes were withdrawn from the market in December—the highest number for any December since 2017 when the FED rate started to increase a bit. (according to CoreLogic and the WSJ).

Maybe offers weren’t coming in, the holidays made it overwhelming, or you wanted to see if the market would improve. Whatever the reason, a lot of home sellers hit pause.

But now, with spring approaching, it’s time to reassess. The market has been moving a break neck speed since February,, and waiting too long could mean more competition from other sellers down the road.

Why Now Could Be the Right Time

Selma Hepp, Chief Economist at CoreLogic, pointed out that many sellers planned to relist this spring:

“Another reason for a step back could be that sellers wanted to wait and see how spring home buying season goes, and if mortgage rates fall, which would bring more home buyers and competition back in the market.”

Spring is traditionally when buyer demand peaks—more people start house hunting as the weather warms up, aiming to close before summer. In Seattle it seems like the spring market comes earlier and earlier each year, with mid February being when we really start to see movement.

And while rates haven’t dropped significantly, they have dipped enough to bring more buyers back into the market. Since January, we’re already seeing increased activity, and it’s expected to keep rising.  Remember according to the National Association of Realtors, for every 1% drop in mortgage rates enables an additional 5 million buyers to qualify for a mortgage nationally.

That’s great if you are selling, but terrible if you want to buy. As we’ve seen rate drops are a double-edged sword. The lower the rates, the more competition in the market equallying higher prices and homes move faster… Honestly, the best time to buy is when rates are higher… if you can make sense of it.

How to Sell Differently This Time

More importantly, learn from your last sale attempt. Take a hard look as to why didn’t your home sell? And what can you do to improve your chances this time?

Is the same agent going to list your property? Or are you looking for someone else to work with?

Make a list of what you liked, vs what you didn’t like about working with your last agent interview someone who can give you facts, data, and a real plan to market and sell your property.

Don’t Hire the ‘Cheapest” agent either, or the one that promises you the most money. They are the ones most likely to lock you into a long drawn-out contract while they wait for you to reduce the price. 

Marketing a home to get top dollar is tricky. “Discount” agents tend to operate on volume. Meaning, they just want an easy sale, they don’t really have a marketing plan, and they are desporate to just get it sold at any price so they can move on to the next deal.  

***[Quick There are so many ‘DONT’s’ when it comes to hiring an agent, that I put together a Guide on what to look for in an agent. After having been licensed for 20 years, if I was looking for an agent, these are the qualities I’d be looking for. Hopefully I’m living up to my own standards, but you’ll have ot read it to decide. I’ll Drop the link at the end of the blog post.]

Back to the Blog.

4 Key Factors That Could Have Held You Back

1. Pricing Strategy

Was your home priced too high? Buyers are quick to overlook overpriced listings. The Price is the first thing a buyer sees – then they look at the pictures. I always tell my clients that we want to attract the right buyer we have to get the price right, the pictures have to look great - but it has to blow them away when they walk in the door.  I’ve been to too many properties where the pictures look good, but in person the place is garbage. Its a real turn-off to buyers.

Price = Marketing
Pictures = Marketing
Presentation = Marketing

Price, Pictures, and Presentation is just the first step. The right price attracts more interest, leading to stronger offers and even bidding wars. You’ll want to analyze the latest sales data to price competitively without leaving money on the table.

2. Pictures, Presentation & Marketing

Did your home stand out online? Buyers decide within seconds whether to click on a listing. If your home wasn’t staged properly or your photos didn’t highlight its best features, that could have hurt your chances.

✔ Spring refresh: I’ve had clients who KNEW for sure they were going to sell in the fall, but we took some of our pictures in the spring…
If your last agent used their cell phone for pictures, you’ll want to update your listing photos by hiring a professional photographer. Also consider making small staging adjustments, and highlight outdoor spaces now that the weather is improving.

3. Incentives & Concessions

Keep this in your back pocket. You and your agent should have a plan, but you don’t want to give this away up front unless you absolutely have to. In a shifting market, sellers who offer rate buy-downs, closing cost assistance, or repair credits attract more buyers and close faster. If you weren’t considering this before, it may be worth revisiting.

4. Concierge - Touch ups, Refreshed or Updates

Buyers today don’t often want to make their own updates and improvements; they want to move in and live their lives.  In many instances it makes sense to make some updates to your home to capitalize on the market. When I work with sellers I always break it down to three options:

1. Touch-ups

2. Refresh

3. Updates

Each one comes with a cost, BUT, if your agent knows the market, and can show you the data, you’ll be able to make a choice that not only helps you sell your home faster, but also puts more money in your pocket. This is something I address with every seller I work with, and it pays dividends for my clients time and again.

 5. Showings & Flexibility

Lastly, how easy was it for buyers to see your home? The whole point of pricing right, and having a great online presence is to get bodies through the door. Limited showing availability = fewer offers. The easier it is for buyers to tour your home, the more interest you’ll generate.

Bottom Line

If your home didn’t sell last year, spring is your second chance. Buyer demand is rising, and with a fresh approach, you can get it sold this time. Let’s talk about the best strategy to get your home back on the market and in front of the right buyers.

As promised, here's the link to the Guide on 'How to Find the Right Listing Agent: A Step-by-Step Guide'

Let's Create a Plan that Works for You:

Let’s chat about how to turn today’s market challenges into your financial advantage. Whether you're upgrading, buying for the first time, or selling, we’ll make sure you’re making the smartest move possible.

Best,

Justin H Gazabat
Broker | PNW, Seattle, Ballard, East Side
www.JustinGazabat.com
206-424-9497

PS: If anyone in your social or work circles considering a move, just send Me an intro text or email with their best contact info, make sure everyone is CC’d and I’ll take care of the rest! I promise to take great care of them, serve them well, make you look good, plus help them get great results.