What to Do If Your Canterbury Property Is Not Selling

In Canterbury's current market, a well-priced, well-presented property in an active suburb should attract serious buyer interest within two to three weeks. If your property has been on the market for 45+ days - significantly above the 40-46 day city average - something needs to change. Here is how to diagnose the problem and decide what to do.

Step One - Diagnose the Problem Honestly

The three most common reasons properties do not sell are: price is above the market evidence; presentation is not competitive with comparable listings; or the buyer pool for this specific property type is genuinely thin. Start by reviewing the open home feedback your agent has provided. What are buyers actually saying? Are they attending open homes but not progressing? Or are they not attending at all? Low attendance suggests a marketing or pricing issue. Attendance without offers suggests buyers like the property but the price is wrong or there is a specific issue (earthquake repairs, flood risk, title complications) putting them off. Your agent should have direct buyer feedback to guide this analysis.

The Price Question

The most common problem is price. Review your agent's original comparable sales evidence again. Have any new comparable sales occurred since you listed? Have similar properties in your suburb sold for less than your asking price? If so, the market has spoken. A price reduction is uncomfortable but typically produces faster results than waiting for a buyer who will pay your original price. Harcourts Gold's March 2026 market update noted a clear pattern: first offers not taken resulting in lesser eventual sale levels. The market does not generally go up while a property sits on it.

Changing Sale Method

If you have been running price by negotiation for six weeks without success, consider switching to a fresh auction or deadline sale campaign. A new campaign with a defined end date creates urgency for buyers who have been watching your property but not acting. The reset of the marketing and a new campaign launch date can re-engage buyer interest that has gone stale.

Taking the Property Off Market

If you genuinely cannot find a buyer at a price you are willing to accept, taking the property off market and relisting later (in a stronger season or at a reset price) can be a better option than continuing a stale campaign. A property that has been on the market for 90+ days carries significant stigma. Removing it and relisting fresh in spring or autumn with a realistic price often produces a better outcome than grinding through a long, painful campaign.

For general information only. Consult your real estate agent before making any changes to your campaign or sale strategy.