Whether you’re getting ready to put your house up for sale or wondering why it’s been sitting on the market for months without any action, you’ll want to turn to the professionals for their expert advice.

Here, three real estate agents touch on five factors that will make a house unsaleable and can explain why you don’t have much interest in your property. Keep reading to find out what to avoid to ensure your home is attractive to potential buyers.

Too much clutter

An open house is really a time for your home to make a great first impression, and it won’t do that if the space is filled with too many personal artifacts or items that give the appearance of clutter.

Clutter, family photos, children’s artwork, unusual decorations, dirty dishes, broken items and horrible smells are all things that Julie Mills, a realtor with JS Walker Associates, Inc., labels as off-putting to potential buyers.

“These items signal chaos, distract buyers from seeing your home’s design elements, and can send up red flags that the home is not well maintained,” she says.

Instead, take care to design your home so that it is universally welcoming, comfortable and soothing when people step inside.

“You want it to sparkle and shine,” Mills adds, noting that putting in the extra work ahead of time will help secure the best buyer.

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Expensive repairs

If you’ve been putting off expensive repairs due to cost and time, consider tackling them before selling your home because potential buyers won’t want to take on these projects after they move in.

Issues such as a cracked foundation, mold or water damage, such as a flood, and deferred maintenance, such as a compromised roof, will all be considered red flags during an open house, Erin Mara, who is an associate broker at Bloom Fine Properties , he explains.

“These are all big costs for new homeowners to fix up, so they’ll look elsewhere,” she says.

Mara encourages sellers to clearly inspect their homes ahead of time so they know in advance what a buyer will find when they inspect and can act proactively to make repairs.

Small bathrooms

A small bathroom that lacks function or proper layout won’t impress potential buyers, says David Palmieri, a licensed real estate broker at Corcoran. He cites small primary bathrooms without double sinks, as well as full bathrooms (and no guest bathrooms) as two common problems.

Similarly, many apartments in major cities are set up so that guests have to walk through the bedroom to access the bathroom, a feature that most buyers will see as a major drawback, Palmieri explains.

“This is very problematic when entertaining and can make or break why someone buys or doesn’t buy an apartment,” he says.

Lack of entrance

Most people don’t want to immediately step into a house or apartment without first passing through even a small entrance or hallway, notes Palmieri, citing cases where the door opens directly into the living room or kitchen.

“More than ever, people appreciate a well-decorated foyer that welcomes its guests into the apartment and gives them the right spirit for the space,” he says.

Mills agrees and explains how poor floor plans and layouts can be off-putting to buyers because the space can appear dysfunctional and reinventing the space can be difficult.

Overestimate the home

An overpriced home just won’t come off the market quickly, explains Mills, who notes that some buyers want to test the waters at a higher price than is appropriate.

“Often that decision backfires and hurts the seller,” she says.

Relying on an experienced real estate agent will ensure your home is priced fairly relative to the local market, notes Mills.