Two similar homes can be listed in the same neighborhood at approximately the same time. One attracts immediate attention, receives an offer and sells. The other remains on the market for weeks or even months.
Why?
Sellers will sometimes assume that the difference must be marketing. Perhaps the property needs more advertising, another social media post or greater exposure.
Marketing is certainly important. Buyers can’t purchase a property they do not know is available. However, in today’s real estate market, listings are distributed through REALTOR.ca, national real estate websites, major franchise networks, brokerage and REALTOR® websites, social media, virtual tours and many other platforms.
As I often remind my agents to tell sellers, their listing will not be a secret; if someone needs to know the property is for sale, they will find it.
The more important question is: What do buyers think when they find it?
A property’s ability to sell depends on the relationship between several important factors: market conditions, price, state of the property, presentation, marketing and access for showings. When these elements work together, a home becomes more attractive and easier to sell. When one or more elements are out of balance, even a well-marketed property can remain on the market.
The Market Has Changed
Before examining why one particular home sells while another remains on the market, we must consider the environment in which both properties are competing.
Recent MLS® statistics show that the number of available listings is growing while sales activity has declined. In August this year, 633 new listings entered the market, an increase of 15% compared with the previous year. During the same month, 303 properties sold, a decrease of 13%.
This means that the supply of properties is growing faster than buyer demand. The sales-to-new-listings ratio declined from approximately 63% in August 2025 to 48% in August 2026. Simply put, there are now more sellers competing for each available buyer.
We are also seeing the consequences of that change. Active MLS® inventory has reached 2,587 properties, the average time on the market is approximately 74 days, and expired listings have increased by 34% year to date.
In a market with limited inventory and strong buyer demand, a property may sell quickly despite imperfections in its price, condition, presentation or showing availability. In a market with more choices, buyers can afford to be more selective. They will compare properties carefully and often move on when another home offers better value, presents more favorably or is easier to view.
This does not mean that every property remaining on the market is overpriced or poorly marketed. Location, property type, price range and the number of qualified buyers can all influence the time required to sell. Some of these factors are beyond the control of the seller or the REALTOR®.
However, when competition increases, the factors that can be controlled become considerably more important.
Expired Listings: Lessons for the Next Seller
Another indication of the changing market is the growing number of listings reaching the end of their listing period without selling.
In September 2026, 262 properties expired from the market, compared with 167 in September 2025, an increase of approximately 57%. Year to date, 1,335 properties had expired, compared with 938 during the same period last year, an increase of approximately 42%.
An expired listing does not automatically mean there was something wrong with the property or that it was poorly marketed. Sellers’ circumstances can change, and some properties naturally require more time to find the right buyer. However, when the number of expired listings rises while inventory is growing and the number of buyers is not keeping pace, the trend deserves attention.
When preparing to list a property, I teach our agents to study the expired listings in that property’s market area and price range. The objective is to determine, as carefully as possible, why those homes did not sell so that a new seller does not unknowingly repeat the same mistakes.
Was the asking price unsupported by comparable sales? Did the home’s condition or presentation make competing properties more appealing? Were the photographs and marketing effective? Was the property difficult to show? Did it receive offers that could not be successfully negotiated? Sometimes the answer is obvious, while in other cases several factors may have contributed.
This review provides valuable market intelligence. It helps the agent identify patterns, anticipate potential objections from buyers and recommend a strategy based not only on the properties that sold, but also on those the market rejected.
For sellers, this is an important part of positioning a home successfully from the beginning. The goal is not simply to place a property on the market and wait. It is to learn from what has already happened, avoid preventable mistakes and give the home the strongest possible opportunity to sell.
Price: Where the Property Is Positioned
Price is not simply an amount placed on a listing. It determines how the property is positioned in relation to every other home competing for the same buyers.
Sellers naturally consider what they paid, how much they have invested, what they need for their next purchase and what neighboring properties have sold for. Those considerations are understandable, but buyers do not determine value based on what the seller needs. They compare the property with the alternatives currently available to them.
If buyers can purchase a larger, more updated or better-located property for approximately the same price, they will usually choose the option they believe offers better value.
A home does not necessarily have to be the least expensive property in its category. It does, however, need to justify its price.
An ambitious asking price may appear to leave room for negotiation, but it can also place the property in competition with homes that offer more. Instead of encouraging lower offers, the price may discourage showings altogether.
The market will normally communicate its opinion. If a property receives strong online attention and several showings but no offers, buyers may like the home but not see sufficient value at the asking price. If it receives very few showings, the price may be preventing buyers from considering it in the first place.
Condition: What Buyers Must Accept or Correct
A property does not have to be new or completely renovated to sell. Every home has an appropriate buyer, but its condition must be reflected in its price.
Deferred maintenance, outdated finishes, damaged flooring, aging mechanical systems and visible repairs all influence a buyer’s perception of value. Buyers rarely calculate only the direct cost of the work. They also consider the inconvenience, uncertainty and time involved in completing it.
Two homes may have the same number of bedrooms, similar square footage and comparable locations, but they are not necessarily worth the same amount if one is move-in ready and the other requires work.
This does not mean sellers must renovate everything before listing. Some improvements produce little or no return. The better question is whether an issue should be corrected, disclosed and reflected in the asking price.
Buyers will accept many imperfections when they believe the price fairly represents the property’s condition. Problems arise when the condition and price tell two different stories.
Presentation: Creating the Right First Impression
Condition and presentation are related, but they are not the same.
Condition refers to the physical state of the property. Presentation refers to how buyers experience it.
A clean, bright and uncluttered home allows buyers to appreciate the space and imagine living there. Excess furniture, personal belongings, poor lighting, unpleasant odors or unfinished projects can distract buyers from the property’s positive features.
Presentation begins before a buyer enters the home. Exterior maintenance, the entrance and curb appeal create the first impression. Online photographs often create an even earlier one.
Professional photography can attract attention, but photographs can only capture what is placed in front of the camera. Proper preparation, thoughtful staging and attention to detail allow the marketing to do its job more effectively.
Presentation does not change the location, size or age of a property. It helps buyers see its full potential without unnecessary distractions.
Marketing: Reaching the Right Buyers
Effective marketing is much more than placing a sign on the lawn and entering the property into the MLS® system.
Professional photographs, accurate descriptions, virtual tours, social media exposure, online distribution, direct communication and the REALTOR® network all contribute to reaching the widest possible audience.
The objective is to make the property easy to find, attractive enough to investigate and compelling enough to visit.
However, marketing has limits.
No amount of advertising can permanently overcome an unrealistic price. Professional photographs may generate clicks, but buyers will still compare the property’s price and condition with other available homes. Additional social media posts may increase visibility, but visibility alone does not create value.
Marketing brings the property to the attention of buyers. Price, condition and presentation determine whether those buyers take the next step.
When a property has received significant exposure but little response, the answer is not always more advertising. Sometimes the marketing has already succeeded in delivering the market’s message.
Access: Making It Easy for Buyers to Act
Selling a home is inconvenient. Showings can interrupt routines, require cleaning on short notice and arrive at times that are not ideal for the family.
However, buyers cannot develop an emotional connection to a property they cannot visit.
When inventory is limited, buyers may wait for another showing opportunity. In a market with more selection, they may simply view a competing property instead. If that home meets their needs, they may never return to the one that was difficult to access.
Reasonable notice is appropriate, and sellers should not be expected to accept every request regardless of their circumstances. Nevertheless, overly restrictive showing schedules, delayed responses and repeated refusals can reduce the property’s chances of selling.
A showing request represents a buyer who has moved beyond scrolling through photographs and is interested enough to enter the home. Those opportunities should be treated seriously.
Marketing creates interest, access allows that interest to become a possible offer.
Time and Market Feedback
The first days and weeks of a listing are important. New listings attract attention because buyers and REALTORS® have not seen them before.
When a property remains on the market, that initial freshness begins to disappear. Buyers may start asking why it has not sold or assume that something is wrong, even when nothing is.
As time passes, new competing listings enter the market and other properties sell. The seller’s own circumstances may also change. Deadlines approach, carrying costs continue and urgency can begin to affect price and negotiating flexibility.
This is why a listing strategy cannot remain static. Showing activity, buyer feedback, new listings, recent sales, price changes and market conditions must be reviewed throughout the listing period.
Feedback should not be accepted blindly, but patterns matter. One buyer’s opinion may be personal preference. When several buyers raise the same concern, the market may be identifying an obstacle that deserves attention.
The objective is not to react emotionally to every comment. It is to recognize when the evidence supports an adjustment to price, condition, presentation, marketing or access.
The Factors Must Work Together
There is rarely one single reason why a property sells or remains on the market.
Excellent presentation cannot completely overcome an unrealistic price. An attractive price cannot produce an offer if buyers are unable to schedule a showing. Maximum exposure cannot compensate for a property that offers less value than its competition. A well-maintained home may still struggle if poor photographs prevent buyers from appreciating it.
At the same time, not every listing that takes longer to sell has a serious problem. Some properties have unique features, unusual locations or higher prices that naturally appeal to a smaller group of qualified buyers. Finding the right buyer may simply require more time.
The responsibility of the REALTOR® is to create maximum exposure, monitor the market, communicate honestly and recommend adjustments when the evidence supports them. The seller’s role is to consider that advice and make informed decisions about the factors within their control.
I remember reminding sellers that they once chose to purchase the property themselves. At some point, another willing and qualified buyer will likely recognize its value as well. Our job is to find that buyer and ensure the property is positioned to earn serious consideration when that person arrives.
The objective is not only to place a property on the market. It is to continually maximize its salability until the right willing and qualified buyer is found.
If you are considering selling your property, contact any of our EXIT Realty Associates professionals. They can help you understand current market conditions, assess your property’s value and develop a strategy designed to give your home the best opportunity to sell.
