Hey neighbors, Todd Kornack here with TK Realty Group at Schuler Bauer Real Estate Services. If your home was on the market this summer and the listing just expired, or it is about to, I want you to hear this first: your house is not the problem. You are also not alone. In the single week from September 26 to October 2, the expired listing report I check every morning flagged 18 homes across our area that expired or were canceled, from Louisville, Shelbyville and La Grange to Frankfort and over into Southern Indiana. Half of them had been on the market about three months or longer.
So what now? Here is what I would do, in order.
First, know what the market actually did
This was not your imagination. Across the Louisville metro, active listings hit 4,412 in September, up 27.1% from a year ago, according to national housing data. The median home spent 45 days on the market, up from 38 in May. And 2,022 listings had a price cut during September. That is close to half of everything for sale.
Across the river in Clark County, local data shows September inventory up 22% from last year and 3.2 months of supply. Homes that did sell there went under contract in 24 days on average and closed at 96.9% of list price. Add in Freddie Mac's 30 year rate average of 7.40% on October 8, the highest in about three years, and buyers are being careful. Careful buyers skip homes that do not grab them right away.
What happens to your listing agreement now?
When the listing period ends, your agreement with that brokerage ends too, and you are free to choose your next step. Before you do anything, pull out the agreement and look for a protection period, sometimes called a carryover clause. Many listing agreements say that if you sell within a set number of months to a buyer who saw the home during the listing, you may still owe that brokerage its fee. Many forms also waive that if you sign a new listing with another broker. Every contract is worded a little differently, so read yours or ask your attorney.
How to stop the flood of calls
If your phone has not stopped ringing since the listing expired, here is the good news. Under federal Do Not Call rules, an agent generally may not cold call you about listing your expired home if your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. You can register free at donotcall.gov. And it is perfectly fine to say, "Please put me on your do not call list." Agents are required to honor that.
Why good homes don't sell: the three Ps
After 50+ transactions, I have found it almost always comes down to three things.
Presentation. Online is the new first showing. Dark photos, odd angles or a description that sounds like every other house will make buyers scroll right past. Promotion. Being in the MLS is not the same as being seen. Did the right buyers, and the agents who work with them, actually know your home was there? Price. Price is a message. Start too high and buyers wait you out. Cut in small steps and they start wondering what is wrong. Notice price comes last. That is on purpose.
Before you drop the price, relaunch
This is the heart of my Relaunch Plan, a fresh start for your home sale: New photos and video. Professional photography, a video walkthrough and twilight shots where they fit. If the old photos did not stop the scroll, a lower price with the same photos rarely will. A real promotion plan. Targeted ads, agent networks and distribution built around who buys in your neighborhood, whether that is a commuter eyeing Shelbyville or a family set on Oldham County schools. A pricing reset based on fresh data. We look at what actually sold in the last few months, not what is sitting. Then we price to create momentum, because the first two weeks back on the market matter most. Honest communication. Showing feedback within 24 hours and a weekly update, so you are never left guessing.
Interviewing your next agent
Be kind to yourself and to your last agent. Markets shift, and sometimes the fit just is not right. When you interview, ask each agent exactly what they would do differently in the first 14 days, ask to see photos and video from their recent listings, and ask how often you will hear from them. Their answers will tell you a lot.
Relaunch now or wait for spring?
There is no one right answer, but here is what I weigh with sellers. Waiting has real costs: another few months of mortgage, taxes, insurance and utilities. Local Realtor data shows Louisville area inventory has grown year over year every month since late 2023, so I would not count on spring being a quiet time to sell. On the other hand, if your home needs work or your family needs a breather, a planned spring launch is smart. Either way, do not just put it back up the same way and hope.
If your listing expired and you want a second opinion with no pressure, call or text me at (502) 232 1915 or email toddtkrealty@gmail.com. Even if we never work together, I am happy to help you think it through. So tell me: if your home did not sell this year, which of the three Ps do you think held it back? Drop a comment below. I read every one.
Todd Kornack TK Realty Group at Schuler Bauer Real Estate Services Read the full post on my website: https://toddsellskentuckiana.huzi.site/blog/expired-listing-what-to-do-next-kentucky/
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