13/03/2025
Why Your Property Isn't Selling...
There are many reasons why a property might not sell. Sometimes, home sellers blame the agent, and agents blame the condition of the property. The truth is, there’s more to it than that!
I'm a Property Practitioner in Durban, and based on my experience, I’ll be sharing some reasons why your property might not be selling. This will be an ongoing topic, so I won’t cover everything in just one post.
Reason 1: Pricing Your Property Right – It’s All About Supply & Demand
The market is still shifting from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market, and this shift plays a huge role in determining the price of your property. Just like how jackets cost more in winter than in summer, property prices depend on how many buyers are looking for homes and how many homes are available. When there are more buyers than properties, prices go up. When there are fewer buyers and more homes, prices go down.
During COVID, property prices dropped because many buyers couldn’t afford to buy, and there were plenty of properties available. But now, in 2025, buyers have more financial strength, and there are fewer properties for sale. This has shifted the market in favor of sellers. Buyers now have to compete with each other, offering more money just to secure a property.
Now, here’s the key takeaway: if you price your property too high in today’s market, it will likely not sell.
For example, let’s say you have a 3-bedroom house in Pinetown and another one in KwaMashu. Both are similar, but they’re in different neighborhoods. The house in Pinetown will likely be priced higher than the one in KwaMashu, simply because people are willing to pay more to live in Pinetown.
To make it even clearer: a house in Umhlanga could cost twice as much as a house in KwaMashu, even if both houses are exactly the same in terms of features and size. That’s because Umhlanga is considered a more desirable area, and people are willing to pay a premium to live there.
So, why does this matter to you?
The market sets the value of your property, and if you list your property too high for what people are willing to pay, you’re likely going against the flow of the market. As a result, your property could sit on the market for a long time without any interest.
So, what can you do?
Make sure your property is priced correctly based on the current market in your area. Pricing too high will make it harder to sell, and it could end up sitting unsold for much longer than it should.
Stay tuned for Reason #2: The Neighborhood!
Next, I’ll talk about how your property’s neighborhood can impact its value and its ability to sell. Things like location, safety, schools, and amenities all affect what buyers are willing to pay for a property. You won’t want to miss it!
