Why homes don't sell, and what to do about it.

The seven reasons

What's usually going wrong.

1

The price is wrong

Nine times out of ten, this is it. Often the price was set high to win the instruction, and buyers can see it. They compare your home with what similar homes on your street actually sold for, not with what you hope to get.

What to do: Check your asking price against real sales on your street. Every area guide on this site lists the busiest streets, the most expensive streets and what they sold for.

2

It's priced just above a search band

Buyers search in round numbers: up to £250,000, up to £300,000, up to £400,000. A home at £305,000 never appears for the person searching up to £300,000, who might well have paid it.

What to do: If you're just over a round number, a small cut can put you in front of far more buyers. Stamp duty bands matter too, especially for first-time buyers, whose relief stops above £500,000.

3

The marketing doesn't do it justice

Dark photos, no floorplan, no video and a description that could be any house. Most buyers decide from a phone screen in a few seconds whether to book a viewing.

What to do: Look at your listing on your phone as a stranger would. Ask for proper photography, a floorplan and a video tour. For a larger home, they are the least you should expect.

4

There's a lot of competition

In some places there are simply more homes for sale than buyers. Around Matlock, Bakewell and Darley Dale, sales fell by a quarter to a third in the year to June 2026, while Chesterfield's suburbs held up far better.

What to do: In a slow market, the homes that sell are priced right first time and look the best online. Being the third-best house at the same price means waiting.

5

Something about the house is putting buyers off

A poor energy rating, damp, an awkward layout, a short lease, missing planning permission or building regulations sign-off, or a flood risk that hasn't been explained.

What to do: Find out what viewers actually said. Many problems can be fixed cheaply or explained up front, which is far better than a buyer finding out from their surveyor.

6

Nobody's following up

Enquiries not answered the same day, viewings that are hard to book, no feedback afterwards. Good buyers move on quickly.

What to do: Ask your agent how many enquiries and viewings you've had, and what each viewer said. If they can't tell you, that's your answer.

7

Buyers can't get the money together

Higher mortgage rates and long chains mean some interested buyers simply can't proceed, or offers collapse a few weeks in.

What to do: Ask whether buyers are mortgage-ready and what's below them in the chain before you accept. A slightly lower offer from a buyer in a strong position is often worth more.

Before you switch agent

Check your contract for

• When your sole agency period ends. It's often 8 to 16 weeks, and you may need to give notice in writing.
• Whether the contract says "sole selling rights". If it does, you may owe a fee even if you find the buyer yourself.
• Whether you'd owe your first agent a fee if a buyer they introduced later buys through someone else.
• Any withdrawal or marketing charges for ending early.

This is general information, not legal advice. If in doubt, ask a solicitor to read the contract.