The conurbation around Geneva has a population of roughly 900,000 and extends into two French départements (Haute-Savoie and Ain) as well as the Swiss cantons of Geneva and Vaud. More than 400,000 jobs are located in the region.
In demographic terms, it is the fifth fastest-growing region in Europe. By 2030, a further 200,000 inhabitants and 100,000 jobs are expected to be created here.
The estate agencies were tragically unable to pre-filter houses on this criterium.
Sold our house in 2012 within practically 2 days of it coming on the market (and could have had a bidding auction but due to personal circumstances at the time were more keen to secure a buyer than to squeeze an extra few thousand francs out of them).
Consulted 3 agents as to price. Their valuation models were laughable. Usually gave a variation of some 30%. Well if its that imprecise, I think all of us can be valuers. Perused the market myself, got comparables, decided how much we needed to move on, then stuck the property up for sale on Homegate with oodles of photos, plans and a 4 page property particulars pdf.
This was on Christmas Eve morning. By 5pm Christmas Eve had so many interested viewings that we held an open house on 27th and by close of play 27th it was sold.
It was not in a property hot spot - just a well priced, modern, in need of no maintenance work, tidy property.
So price, price and price again. Plus a little bit of good presentation skills and a modest fee to homegate to advertise it for you. Plus when someone makes an offer, ask them for confirmation from their bank that they agree to the mortgage. No point in moving ahead to contracts until this vital point is dealt with. Better still find the miraculous buyer who needs no mortgage and can produce a letter to the bank to that effect.
Good luck. It was stressful even though it went so well so I can only imagine how frustrating it is when it is going badly.
A. The price is too high
B. People are suspicious as to why you dropped the price by that much
C. The marketing is all wrong
D. That house now has a notorious reputation
D. The price is still too high
Good luck.
A. The price is set based on the area in line with the other properties available in the area.
B. The price has dropped in line with the price drop of the general market.
C. On the assumption that trained professionals should know what they are doing & are paid to do it, plus the fact that there is competition as it is not placed with just one agency but with 3 who have different styles, there's not much we can do apart from getting femen to be photographed in front of the house.
D. Yes, maybe it is disadvantaged by the continual stream of call girls & drug addicts lying around on the pavement outside and the witches with their cauldrons cooking babies in the garden.
D. If selling it off cheaper than flats which are smaller, have no garden & a lot less parking the the same area, there has to be some sort of limit as to how low you go. If it is priced as bargain basement sub-standard crap, no one will buy it thinking there is a problem with it, or we're divorced, someone had died or we're about to go bankrupt.
There are people who appreciate it. Unfortunately we seem to be idiot magnets.
You can be Prez to start off with
Plus people who are interested in buying can get an mail sent every time a new property gets advertised.
This way, any open-market price drops like OPs will immediately be visible.
The number of properties in a target-area that match the size, age and budget one is interested in is usually (very) finite. As such, it's easy to remember each and every one that comes on sale.
I know I do. I also usually have a hunch whether a property will sell for a given price.
Furthermore, I can do it remotely without having to visit the site.
Simple things like changing bed coverings to all white, making the house a bit more neutral, removing lots of photos etc can make a huge difference.
I watch sweetie Plaza too. It's one of my fav programs. I do think it gives false expectations to people though of what to expect. House is blandified to hues of mud, snot & snow, 5 people visit & they all want it 'cos he's there with his gleaming smile & little bum.
Maybe I should e-mail him & see if he fancies a fondue for a change instead of his Parisian frogs legs.
We better have a board meeting of the association so we can fix the prices and screw the silly foreigners