Houses for Sale – Urgent! Opportunity! Selling Cheap… Yet the Listing Has Been Active for Years. Sounds Familiar? Why Is That?

Understanding the Real Estate Market

You’ve surely come across at least one listing for a house advertised as urgent, super urgent, cheap! And it seems like a great opportunity — “too bad I don’t have the money right now,” you think to yourself… Yet despite all these supposed advantages, the listing remains active for years. How is that possible?

The Question of Proper Pricing

Despite an attractive description, one of the most common reasons why properties remain unsold is the price. A price that’s too high will scare away buyers, while a price that’s too low may raise suspicion. The key lies in setting a realistic price that reflects the current real estate market conditions.

In Croatia, we lack an adequate and reliable database for accurately determining property values, unlike in some more regulated countries. Therefore, property owners are often forced to rely on various estimation methods — from neighbors’ advice to random agents’ opinions. Very often they simply compare their property to listings on portals such as Njuškalo, where the majority of asking prices are unrealistic. All these factors often result in setting an unrealistic price, and pricing is precisely the main reason a property fails to sell.

Poor Marketing Approach and the Importance of Choosing a Trusted Agent

Posting a property listing is only half the work. The other half is having an effective marketing strategy. Without a well-thought-out strategy, it’s unlikely you’ll reach potential buyers. This means using all available channels — from social media to property portals.

If you’ve listed your property with multiple agencies, who all know they’re competing to sell it, there’s a risk your property may be “hidden” out of fear buyers might bypass them or due to internal agency rivalries.

This is why more and more emphasis is placed on choosing one trusted real estate agent. This has become standard practice globally. An agent who focuses on a smaller number of listings, typically up to 20, can provide better service and give each property the attention it deserves. This avoids the risk of your property being hidden or neglected in favor of others.

Quality Presentation and Investment in Marketing

A high-quality, detailed listing can significantly influence how fast a property sells. This includes a well-written description translated into foreign languages, attractive yet realistic photos, and clear information about the location and key features of the property. Appealing and professional video tours are increasingly important, particularly for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, which now play a major role in real estate sales.

It’s important to note that quality real estate marketing today generally requires significant financial investment, expertise, and professional equipment. Many agencies and private sellers still rely on simple methods like mobile phone photos and free local classified ads — far from ideal. Investing in professional photography, video content, and paid ads on multiple platforms is essential for success in today’s real estate market.

Condition of the Property and the Importance of Its Appearance

If a house requires significant repairs, it can deter potential buyers — especially nowadays, when buyers often look for “turnkey” properties.

Statistics show that investing in preparing and staging a house can increase its value by an average of 8 percent. This concept, known as Home Staging, is already standard practice in developed markets. Home Staging means professionally preparing and presenting the property in the best possible light to attract more buyers. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, we recommend researching it.

Challenges of Selling on Your Own

If you’re selling on your own, you may face a lack of negotiation experience. Sellers are often emotionally attached to their property. In such cases, the best advice is to remain objective, answer only concrete questions, and create an atmosphere where buyers can imagine themselves living there. A small tip — make sure all other family members and pets are out of the house during viewings.

Documentation Issues

Incomplete or unclear documentation is often a significant reason why a property stays on the market. Potential buyers, especially foreign ones, expect complete and transparent documentation. For them, it’s unimaginable that all required documents wouldn’t already be prepared and available.

That’s why it’s crucial to sort out the paperwork in advance.

You’ll need:

  • title deed
  • cadastral extract
  • energy certificate
  • building and occupancy permits, if applicable

If there are any issues or uncertainties with the paperwork, it’s recommended to consult a lawyer or real estate expert to resolve them before listing the property. Messy documentation can turn away potential buyers and significantly prolong the sale, and buyers may move on to another property rather than wait.

The Difficulty of Selling Specific Properties

Some types of properties are notoriously harder to sell — for example, large houses divided into many apartments. Such properties are often oversized, with too much square footage, and often built without a clear plan or strategy. The best solution for such properties is often subdivision and selling as individual units, if possible.

What makes this difficult? Issues such as overdevelopment and lack of parking spaces. In such cases, selling may require a more specialized approach to attract buyers.

Conclusion

Successful property sales in Croatia require a comprehensive approach, including understanding the market, setting a realistic price, an effective marketing strategy, quality presentation, good maintenance, a structured sales process, clean documentation, and strategic solutions for difficult-to-sell property types. All these elements are crucial for attracting buyers and selling quickly. Unfortunately, many sellers ignore these aspects, which leads to long-running “urgent” listings that never result in a sale.

With the right approach and the help of professionals, it’s possible to achieve fast and successful results in real estate sales.