June 5, 2026 | Selling
When To Worry About Your House Not Selling
After a somewhat chaotic start to the decade, today’s real estate market has largly returned to normal, and well-prepared, well-priced homes are selling within the expected timeframe.
If your house hasn’t been able to attract buyers, you may need to tweak your strategy.
If you are seeing little to no action on your home, have an agent who is not communicating the next steps, or simply curious about your next steps to a SOLD sign? This blog post is for you.
The First Month On the Market
Once your home is listed on both the internal listing platform for Realtors only and the external client-facing website, Realtor.ca, your listing agent will have access to the internal feedback for your home. Ultimately, beyond getting a home sold, the first month of listing is about strategy.
Marketing and media are key factors in your home’s presentation. As a client, there should be concerns if your agent is not publicly promoting your home on Instagram. Social media is a fantastic tool for sparking both buyer and agent interest. A home might not sell from a social media post alone, but it may be shared on the feed of an individual who knows someone who could be a potential buyer. Do not underestimate the power of sharing your listing amongst your Instagram and Facebook followers and encouraging friends and family to do the same. The more exposure, the better.
Planning on selling your house? Explore these related blog posts for more advice!
Pay Attention to Buyers
Aside from marketing, keep an eye on the showings. A home that is not priced in line with the neighbourhood comparables and market stats for that area will become a stale listing within the first month. Even if your property has had lots of online traction but hasn’t translated into real-time viewings, you will want to strategize a solution with your agent. On the other hand, the property has had lots of showings but no offers.
This is a common occurrence in a market with high inventory levels. If your agent can prove you are priced accordingly and that your home has had traction, it may be a telling sign of the market or of the unique features of your home and its price point. A good example of this is an equestrian farm or home situated on a large parcel of vacant land.
Rural listings are much different from the average suburban residential home. Targeting the right buyer may take time and ongoing effort on your agent’s part to generate interest from prospective buyers.
The Second Month On the Market
By the second month, you may feel overwhelmed and nervous. We are here to tell you that these feelings are completely normal and will get better from here! If you are entering your second month on the market and your home is located in Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Wellington County, Hamilton, or Halton, you are still within the average days-on-market for these areas. When inventory is high in a particular area, buyers have more choices. After all, there is no urgency that the perfect home may slip away from them if they don’t act now. If your plan is to continue attracting buyers to your home, here are some easy things you can focus on:
- Prepping for every showing like it’s your listing photo day to create the most curated, inviting space for buyers to walk into
- Keep on top of your outdoor maintenance to sustain strong curb appeal.
- If the seasons are changing from winter to spring, encourage your listing agent to reshoot the exterior photos when there is no snow, so you can showcase the exterior of your home in the best conditions.
- Continue to follow up with your agent on their strategy for ongoing engagement.
The Third Month On the Market
If your home is still on the market within the three-month window. Don’t worry, we are here to help provide our best advice to help turn from FOR SALE to SOLD. If you haven’t had a conversation with your agent about a price reduction, now is a good time to start.
Ask them to browse through the comparable homes that have sold in your area and determine if their distinguishing factors differentiate their home from your home. Your agent should explain the finishes, value-adds that contribute to the sale, and how your home directly compares to sales in your community.
If you choose to sign off on an amendment to the original price, your home will be removed from the system and appear with the same contract date as the original listing, just with a new price. However, if you sign off on a new listing agreement with your agent, your existing listing can be cancelled and relisted.
If you have retaken photos/ remarketed, or changed the price significantly, then cancelling and relisting a home is the best way to push it out to a new buyer pool at that price point. We encourage you to talk to your agent or one of our Capstone REPS about the importance of price strategy in a market defined by competing inventory.
Want to know more about selling your home? Read these blog posts next!
- How To Prepare Your Home To Sell
- Do Open Houses Sell Homes?
- How to Increase Your Home Value In Guelph
3+ Months On the Market
This can be a frustrating, anxious time. Yet, selling one of your biggest investments doesn’t have to be stressful.
If you are working with an agent who specializes in your local area, has a proven track record, access to a large buyer pool, and has proposed a continued marketing strategy, then you will sell your home. Working with the right Realtor is one of the most important factors when selling your home.
When it becomes challenging to see into the future, your agent should be a positive guide through the listing and sale of your home. Remember that the type of home you are selling, its location relative to amenities, schools, and city centers, and its price point are all key factors.
In general, certain home styles are more popular. Homes without pools are more versatile. Suburban residential homes have higher demand than most rural properties, and most buyers want to live in specific neighbourhoods. Many factors go into selling a home because different buyers have different wants and needs.
Your agent should continue to promote new ideas, run open houses, advertise your home on their social media feed, and check in with other agents who have shown your home or may have a client for your home. The bottom line is that your Realtor should always be working in your best interest, adjusting their strategy when needed, and moving forward with the methods that are working.
When Should You Worry?
Worry when you don’t see your agent constantly taking action. Your agent is your greatest guide. They are responsible for ensuring your price strategy is working, that the home is marketed to targeted buyers, and that people continue to engage with your property.
Whether they call you daily, every third day, or every week, there should never be more than seven days that go by without you hearing from your agent.
Sell Your Home With Capstone REPS
If you are in the early discussions of listing your home and worried you might make the mistake of rushing into the process, we would love to meet with you and discuss who we are, how we work, and what makes Capstone one of the top teams in Guelph and one of the top groups of 24,000 agents at Royal LePage Canada.
Ready to sell? We can help! Reach us by email at info@capstonereps.com or by phone at 519.824.9050.
Ready to Get Started?
Thinking about buying or selling a home in Guelph or Wellington County? Start the conversation with our team today.
