No matter how great your sales skills are, there are certain issues that tend to make a house that is for sale get stuck on the market for a long time. The good news is that, even in some of the worst cases, there may be solutions available. At least, there might be a way to compensate for a particular problem, so that while it might not be totally resolved, a prospective buyer will make an offer anyway.

As a South Carolina real estate agent, you will encounter challenges. It's just the way it goes. Some houses are easier to sell than others. You will no doubt have plenty of opportunities to put your creative thinking and negotiation skills to good use, especially if any of the issues mentioned in this post are relevant to one of your clients.

A bad location makes a house hard to sell

When a house goes on the market, its location can either be a great selling point or serious downfall. Buyers are always on the lookout for homes in prime locations. If you are helping a client sell a home that is near a factory or major commercial enterprise, such as an airport, you might have your work cut out to find a buyer.

If a house is too close to a highway or has a poor view because of nearby buildings or power lines or a landfill, etc., location is not going to be a highlighted feature. What can you do to compensate for a bad location when selling a house? A low price might be one way to attract a buyer's attention.

Houses where crimes have occurred are also hard to sell

If you're showing a house, a buyer might want to know why it's for sale. It is not uncommon for buyers to inquire about the history of a home, as well. If a violent death or other crime occurred in a particular home, your client might hesitate to make an offer. Many people believe that there is negative energy that lingers on in a place where a serious crime has been committed.

Good luck selling a home with water damage

The best thing you can recommend to a client who is selling a house that contains water damage is to have repairs done before listing the home on the market. If a seller isn't willing to invest in repairs, then he or she might consider selling the property 'as is,' or, at least, lowering the price or offering to cover expenses for repairs.

Contingencies, negotiations and innovative thinking

If a house is hard to sell, consider the reason and determine whether it is a resolvable issue. When there is a solution available, try to have the problem solved before a house is listed on the market. If it is already for sale, try to think of ways that the seller and buyer might compromise. Remember, ''hard to sell'' doesn't necessarily mean ''impossible.''