Quarter Half-Hearted Marketing Campaign
Given that something like 30% of all MLS listings are cancelled or simply expire, unsold, it seems fair to ask, “why didn’t it sell?”
My Realtor’s answer is that, it’s usually never just one thing.
So, poor (or no) staging; a quarter half-hearted marketing campaign; too few and/or unflattering photos; too many updates — or worse, repairs — for Buyers to tackle; an incoherent floor plan; underwhelming curb appeal, etc., can all be Buyer turn-off’s.
However, ultimately all those negatives can be cured by a price that’s sufficiently discounted (see, “The Serenity Prayer – Realtor’s Version“).
The catch for would-be Sellers is that, if you subtract all the things that a good Realtor does to prep a home for market, and then attract the broadest possible range of Buyers, the discount needs to be far greater than would otherwise be necessary.
Political Parallels
While it’s never too late to address Buyer objections (including price), the best time to do so is early in the listing — or even better, before a home hits the market. 
Correcting negatives later on, after Buyers have effectively spoken, is much more expensive.
Politicians (and their strategists) know this phenomenon all too well.
Namely, it’s much easier to define yourself to voters before they have formed an impression, than to redefine yourself after your opponent has succeeded in defining you negatively.
