After 30 years in Canberra real estate, I’ve learned that most properties don’t fail to sell because they’re “bad properties.”
More often than not, they fail because buyers aren’t seeing the value that’s actually there.
When a property sits on the market for weeks or months without attracting serious offers, many sellers immediately assume the price is too high. Sometimes that’s true. However, in my experience, price is often only part of the story.
Before you reduce your asking price again, it’s worth taking a closer look at the real reasons buyers may be walking away.
1. Poor Presentation Creates Poor Perceived Value
One of the biggest mistakes I see is sellers underestimating the importance of presentation.
Buyers don’t pay for what a property could be. They pay for what they see on inspection day.
If buyers walk into a home and are greeted by clutter, unfinished repairs, peeling paintwork, or an overgrown garden, they immediately start calculating the time, effort, and money required to fix those issues.
That affects perceived value.
In many cases, the property itself is perfectly suitable. The problem is that buyers are distracted by things that should have been addressed before the home was listed.
When I inspect a property for the first time, the biggest warning signs are usually:
- Excessive clutter
- Overgrown gardens
- Unfinished repairs
- Dated, damaged, or peeling paintwork
These issues can make an otherwise great property feel neglected and overpriced.
2. Price Reductions Don’t Always Solve the Problem
One of the biggest misconceptions I encounter is the belief that lowering the price will automatically create buyer interest.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way.
Recently, I inspected a property that had already undergone multiple price reductions with another agency. Despite the lower asking price, buyers were still commenting on the same issues during inspections.
The problem wasn’t the price.
The problem was that buyers couldn’t see the property’s true potential because they were focused on presentation issues.
In that situation, my advice wasn’t another price reduction.
It was to improve the presentation first.
Sometimes spending money on improvements can create far more value than discounting the property by tens of thousands of dollars.
3. The Wrong Marketing Strategy
Not every property should be marketed the same way.
One area where I differ from many agents is my view on auctions in the Canberra market.
Auctions rely on competition. When multiple emotionally invested buyers are competing for the same property, auctions can produce exceptional results.
However, Canberra is not Sydney or Melbourne.
In a market of roughly 400,000 people, there are many situations where the level of competition simply isn’t strong enough to justify an auction campaign.
When an auction doesn’t attract enough bidders, the property is often passed in and negotiations begin anyway.
My preference is often a well-managed negotiation campaign, where buyers have time to consider their best offer and sellers have time to make informed decisions without the pressure of auction day.
The goal should always be to achieve the best outcome for the seller, not simply follow a one-size-fits-all marketing strategy.
4. Poor Agent Performance
This isn’t a topic many agents like discussing, but it matters.
One of the most important parts of an agent’s job is having difficult conversations.
A good agent should:
- Set realistic expectations
- Recommend improvements before going to market
- Qualify buyers properly
- Provide honest feedback from inspections
- Tell sellers what they need to hear, not what they want to hear
Sometimes the most valuable advice an agent can give is:
“Your property isn’t ready to sell yet.”
Unfortunately, those conversations don’t always happen.
Instead, properties are launched before they’re properly prepared, resulting in fewer enquiries, less buyer confidence, and a longer time on market.
What Should You Do If Your Property Hasn’t Sold?
If your property has been sitting on the market for 60, 90, or even 120 days, don’t panic.
Instead, take a step back and ask three questions:
1. Get a Second Opinion
Fresh eyes often identify issues that have been overlooked.
2. Review the Marketing Strategy
Is the current approach actually suited to your property and the local market?
3. Assess the Presentation Honestly
Would a buyer see value immediately, or would they see a list of jobs that need doing?
The answers to those questions can often reveal more than another price reduction ever will.
Final Thoughts
After nearly three decades in Canberra real estate, I’ve found that most unsold properties aren’t unsellable.
More often, they are simply being presented, marketed, or positioned incorrectly.
Before you reduce your asking price again, make sure you’ve identified the real reason buyers aren’t engaging.
The solution may not be lowering the price.
It may be improving the perceived value.
If your property has been on the market without success and you’d like an honest, independent assessment, I’d be happy to have a conversation.
Sometimes a second opinion is all it takes to get a property moving again.
About Nathan Giannasca
Nathan Giannasca has been helping Canberra buyers and sellers navigate the property market for more than 30 years. His focus is on honest advice, realistic expectations and helping clients make informed decisions at every stage of their property journey.
If you have questions about buying or selling property in Canberra, get in touch with Nathan for an obligation-free conversation.
