There are only 3 basic reasons why a home fails to sell: It is priced too high, there is something unappealing about it, or it is not effectively promoted.
While an agent has no control over the product they are selling, it is their duty to educate the sellers on how to best present that home for showing. There are plenty of things that can be done to improve the desirability of a property at little or no expense to the seller. If a home does not “show” well, an agent likely failed to educate their seller on preparing it.
What about the home that is over-priced? Isn’t the seller to blame for that? The short answer is “no.” Home owners are reasonable people. If you can show them why their home should sell for less money, they will usually go along with you. However, this means you have to back up your opinion with more than a “gut feeling.” They want to see proof. If an agent failed to educate the sellers on proper pricing and took the listing anyway, they are to blame for the home not selling.
An agent’s most important job is to promote the product they are selling. Many agents are doomed from the beginning though, because they fail to properly define their product. For example: are you simply selling 2,000 square feet of living space, or are you selling a “lifestyle.” If you are selling square footage, the only way to differentiate your home is by the price per foot. If you start off with an improper assumption about the definition of your product, all of your other marketing efforts, including promotion, will be misguided.