When your listing is not getting showings, your seller is probably going to notice. They may call after a few days wondering why nobody has scheduled a visit, especially if they expected buyers to start coming through right away.
Before assuming something is wrong, take a look at what’s actually happening. There may be one thing holding the listing back, or it could be a combination of price, presentation, availability, and what’s happening with other homes nearby.
Start With the Listing
Pull up the property the same way another agent or buyer might see it.
Look at the photos, description, property details, room information, and anything else included in the listing. Make sure the information is accurate and that nothing important is missing.
Photos deserve a second look too. Are the rooms easy to see? Do the photos give buyers a good idea of the layout and condition of the home? Is there anything about the property that should be shown more clearly?
Sometimes you don’t notice something until you look at the listing again a few days later.
See What Buyers Have to Choose From
Your seller’s home isn’t the only one buyers are looking at.
Run another search using the same general criteria a buyer might use for the property. See what else comes up in the area and price range.
If several similar homes are available, open those listings and compare them. Look at price, condition, size, features, days on market, and how the properties are being presented.
This can also help when you’re talking with the seller. Instead of saying, “I think we need to change something,” you can show them what buyers are seeing when they search for homes like theirs.
Take Another Look at the Price
Pricing conversations can be uncomfortable, especially when a seller was confident about the original asking price.
If you’re getting little or no showing activity, go back to the market information you used when the property was listed. Then check what’s happened since.
Have similar homes been listed? Have any gone under contract? Were there price changes nearby? Have comparable properties sold?
You don’t need to jump straight to recommending a price change after a quiet couple of days. But if the lack of activity continues, price should be part of the conversation.
Make Sure Buyers Can Actually See the Home
Sometimes the problem has nothing to do with price.
Look at the showing instructions and availability. If buyers can only see the property during a very small window or appointments are difficult to arrange, some agents may simply move on to another home.
Talk with your seller about what they can realistically do.
They may not be able to leave the house every time someone wants a last-minute showing, and that’s understandable. But if showing restrictions are making it difficult for buyers to get inside, the seller should know that.
Pay Attention to Online Activity
Depending on the tools available to you, you may be able to see whether buyers are viewing, saving, or otherwise interacting with the listing online.
That information can give you some additional context.
If people are looking at the property online but aren’t scheduling showings, take another look at how the home compares with other choices in that price range.
If there’s very little online interest at all, you may need to look more closely at price, photos, listing information, and how the property is being marketed.
Don’t treat one number as the answer. Use the information along with what you’re seeing in the market.
Talk With the Seller Before They Call You
If the listing has been quiet, don’t wait for the seller to ask what’s happening.
Give them an update.
You can tell them how many showings there have been, what you’re seeing from competing properties, whether you’ve received any feedback, and what you think is worth watching over the next few days.
Even if there isn’t much to report, the seller will know you’re paying attention.
Don’t Change Everything at Once
When a listing isn’t getting activity, it can be tempting to start changing the price, rewriting the description, replacing photos, and adjusting the marketing all at once.
Take a more measured approach.
Look at the information you have and talk it through with your seller and broker. Decide which changes make sense and why you’re making them.
That also gives you a better chance of seeing whether a particular adjustment made a difference.
Ask Your Broker What They’re Seeing
If you’re a newer agent and you’re not sure why a listing is sitting, bring your broker into the conversation.
Show them the listing, the comparable properties you’ve been watching, and any feedback you’ve received. Someone who has worked through different markets may notice something you haven’t considered yet.
This is also one of the reasons continuing education matters after you get your real estate license. Pricing, working with sellers, understanding market data, and handling difficult conversations are things you’ll continue learning throughout your career.
At LEAP Real Estate Academy in Orlando, continuing education gives REALTORS® another opportunity to learn from instructors who have worked through these situations themselves. You can take what you learn in class and use it when you’re sitting down with a seller trying to figure out the next move.
A quiet listing doesn’t always mean something is wrong. But it does mean you should be paying attention, asking questions, and keeping your seller informed.
Keep building your real estate knowledge with continuing education at LEAP Real Estate Academy.
